


In the Life of Two X-Wing Pilots

by rebelforce



Series: In the Life of Two X Wing Pilots [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Eventual Relationships, Eventual Smut, F/F, Fluff, Friendship, M/M, Mutual Pining, Relationship(s), Rey Skywalker, Slow Burn, Smut, Star Wars: The Force Awakens Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-07
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-09-22 14:35:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 36,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9611738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebelforce/pseuds/rebelforce
Summary: "Jess was more at peace with Rey on this foreign planet than she had ever felt on her own. For the first time in her life, Jess was flying without the help of her X wing."Jess and Poe have always had each other; two best friends clinging together by a love for the Resistance and each other. What happens when two unlikely characters enter their lives and show them what they've been missing?Story starts at the beginning of Force Awakens, showing the story from the perspective of the X-Wing pilots.





	1. Poe's Mission

Chapter 1

Jessika Pava never expected to fly an X Wing in her life. Every kid comes up with what they want to do when they grow up and its almost always something large and unachievable. Somehow, someway, Jess found herself behind the controls of one of the most important ships in the galaxy. Seeing the planets from above, the way the trees turned into tiny pompoms and rivers into strands of glistening ribbon, gave her an appreciation for the worlds around her. Some days, she couldn’t believe her luck. Other days she knew it was more than just luck. She had trained hard at the Academy, proving every day that she was more than just a pretty face from Danduran. In fact, she was proud knowing that she came out on top of the rest of her classmates, even those that had been sharper, more experienced, and fought dirtier. 

Today, the “dirtier” part definitely still held true. The training her squadron leader, Poe Dameron, had put them through in the last couple hours had her drenched in sweat. Nothing at this moment in time would have felt better than a shower. 

“Pava, good work today!” Speak of the devil. 

“Always the tone of surprise, Poe.” She smiled, taking off her helmet and tucking it under her arm. “Thank you though.”

He mirrored her smile, “You know I’m always proud of you. Do you have somewhere to be? I’m going to go down to lunch but wanted the company of my favorite girl.”

Jess punched his shoulder and laughed, “Quite the charmer. Can I take a shower first? I smell like a Tauntaun’s insides.” 

 

Poe leaned in and sniffed at her neck, “You always smell like this, I don’t mind.” 

Jess laughed and shoved him away, “You’re an ass. I’ll see you in 20 minutes?” 

“I’ll save you a seat.” 

Jess watched him walk away and grinned to herself. Poe was her best friend and if it weren’t for him, she didn’t think she would have half the passion for flying as she did. His drive to do better made her want to be better herself and she knows she’ll never be able to fully articulate how much that means to her. They had meet as teenagers, two friends trying to figure out what could happen next in their lives. Poe had been the one to encourage her to join the Rebel Alliance with him, to be a part of something bigger than herself. She was so glad she listened to him. Not only would she be able to join the fight in protecting the galaxy, she would also get to see her best friend every day. Their parents were always under the impression that someday they would run away together and frankly Jess often found herself wishing that they were attracted to each other. Living life on the Rebel base on D’Qar meant being surrounded by people at all times and somehow still feeling alone and hell, he was handsome. At the end of the day though, Jessika was into girls and Poe was into… Well, everyone. They had always settled on being partners in crime and she loved it that way. 

After the most amazing shower of her life, Jess made her way down to the mess hall, stomach growling. Poe was gathered with a bunch of other pilots at their usual table and, as promised, had saved her the seat next to him. She tucked into her food immediately, barely joining the conversation around her until she was satisfied. 

“So Poe, did you just invite me down here because I’m nice to look at, or did you actually need to talk about something?” He looked at her with apprehension, like he knew what needed to be said but didn’t want to express it the wrong way. 

“Uh, yeah, about that.” Poe ran a hand over the back of his neck. “I’m leaving. On a solo mission…Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?!” Jess exclaimed, loud enough that she didn’t draw attention to them but loud enough that Poe winced. 

“Yes.”

“A SOLO mission?”

“Yes again.”

“And you’re telling me now?”

“Well I figured if I told you tomorrow this would be a harder conversation to have.”

“Poe!” Jess rubbed her hands over her face in exasperation. 

“Don’t be mad! I can’t tell you what it’s about.” He looked around them and lowered his voice, “but I CAN tell you that it’s a super top secret mission from the General herself.” He smiled at her with self pride. 

“How long will you be gone?”

“To be honest I don’t know,” his smile faded. “And to be very honest, I’m worried I won’t make it back.”

The lack of confidence from her usually self-assured friend stopped Jess in her spot. “Poe… is this about…” She lowered her voice some more, “the map?”

“If anyone asks, you came to that conclusion yourself.”

Jess held his gaze for a moment, “Where are you going?”

“I already told you that I can’t disclose that information.”

“But Poe – what if I have to go find you? What if you don’t come back at all?” 

“That’s not up to you to worry about.” 

“But it is!” She leaned forward, her hand on his shoulder. “I need to know that I can always have your back. Top secret or not.”

He smiled, laying his head over her hand, “It’s not going to come to that, Pava. Even if something does happen, I know for a fact that you’ll nag General Organa until she gives you my exact coordinates.”

Jess let out a small chuckle, knowing that she very well would do that, even against her better judgement. She thought for a moment. “You’re my best friend.”

“I know.”

“So you have to come back. In one piece. Handsome as ever.” 

He laughed, throwing his head back, “You know I wouldn’t come back as anything less.”

She laughed with him, giving him a shove before pulling her hand away. “There’s that confidence I know and love so well.”

They said their goodbyes before bed that night. Poe was leaving early in the morning and wasn’t going to have the chance to stop by her room before he left. Jess laid in her bunk, staring at the ceiling. She’d known Poe for a long time. He was the perfect balance of reckless and levelheaded, showing no fear when served with a challenge but knew his own (and his team’s) limits. This mission however, was not another flight around the planet with his buddies. This was the mission to find the map to Luke Skywalker. So many scenarios flew into Jessika’s head. He could lose his way, the ship could break down, the First Order could find him first… She didn’t want to think about the last one. Jess just wanted her pilot to find his way home.


	2. Poe's Mission Becomes Jess' Mission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2! Thanks for reading!

Poe had been gone for six days. Life around the base had certainly been quieter, but it’s not as though time stood still. Jessika still had to get out of bed, work on her X Wing, and fulfill her duties as a pilot. She kept herself busy in the later hours of the night playing card games in the lounge with Snap Wexley and a couple other pilots on base, but when she was alone, she couldn’t help but wonder when she would see her friend again. 

Presently, she was sitting on the couch in her room, half paying attention to a holovid she’d seen 100 times. Her thoughts were with her pilot friend. Depending on how far away General Organa had sent Poe to retrieve the map, she couldn’t imagine he would be gone for longer than a week or two. The fact that he was out there alone, with only the company of his astromech droid BB-8, was what made her nervous. No one was there to pull him out of trouble when he (inevitably) found himself in a situation he didn’t belong. Jess remembered a time when they were young, hanging out in the woods connecting their parents houses. They had made it their goal that summer to build a tree house at the halfway point, a place they could call their own. One day Jess had run out there to meet him and found him hanging by his foot from a tree, hopelessly upside down. And hopelessly embarrassed. Poe had explained that his intention was to install a rope swing but his foot had become entangled in the loop he’d fastened at the end of the rope. She had cut him down, belly laughing the entire time. Jess had saved him that time, but this was a much bigger danger than a rope in the woods. If she had been allowed to go, she could make sure everything was okay. If only she had asked… No. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts of any “what ifs”. If the mission was meant for more than one person, than it would have been assigned as such. Jess turned off the video feed and sat back further into her seat. 

“May the force be with you Dameron… God damn you.” 

She smiled to herself, half amused that she was talking to herself and half proud of the work Poe was doing. At that moment, the comm link in her room buzzed. It was General Organa. 

“Hello General. What can I do for you?”

“Miss Pava can you come down to my office please. I don’t want you to worry, but I also want you to come as soon as you can.”

“Ma’am is this about-“

“We’ll discuss it when you’re here. Please.” The older woman’s tone was even but final. Jess knew better than to argue. 

“Of course. I’ll be right there.” 

The walk to General Organa’s office felt like it had been stretched into light-years. Jessika knew this would be about Poe as he was gone and truthfully there was no other reason for someone of her rank to need to speak with someone as important as the General. A million different scenarios, good and bad, passed through her mind as she approached the large metal door. Before she could even knock, it slid open and revealed the older woman, hair in an intricate but neat updo, at her desk. 

“Come in, Miss Pava.” She smiled hesitantly at the younger girl, the emotion not quite reaching her usually kind eyes. 

“Hello ma’am. Is something wrong?” Jessika sat in the chair in front of the large desk, trying not to let her emotions read too strongly on her face. 

General Organa placed her elbows on the desk, clasping her hands together and rested her chin on them. “I apologize for giving you the impression that something is wrong when I call you down to see me.” 

Jess’s mouth dropped open a little, flustered for having made the other women feel that she had to apologize, “No, I – “

“Relax, Pava,” she smiled softly. This time it did reach her eyes. “I’m not offended, just regretful that you’re correct in assuming this isn’t good news.”

Jess was quiet in her chair. 

“Obviously you know that we sent Poe Dameron on a solo mission earlier this week. The mission was going according to plan until yesterday. We haven’t head from him,” Organa paused, searching Jess’s face for a moment, “Jessika, I’m wondering if you have.”

“If I have heard from him?” Jess’s heart was tight in her chest. “Ma’am I haven’t spoken with him since he left. Unauthorized communication back to the base isn’t even allowed, correct?”

The other women nodded slowly, “You’re correct. But Dameron is well… Dameron and I wouldn’t put it passed him to sneak a few messages out to his friends.” She exhaled slowly. “His instructions were to check in with us twice daily. Due to the sensitivity of the mission, we needed to keep a very close eye on his progress. We’re worried something may have happened to him.”

Jess tried to swallow the mix of fear and frustration building in her throat. “Ma’am if I may ask… Where did you send him?”

The general paused for a moment, searching Jess’s features, wondering if she could trust the younger girl with the information. She sighed, “We sent Poe to the planet of Jakku. It’s a desert planet a ways from here. There is… important information that we needed him to collect and return to us. Our sensors indicate that his X Wing never left the planet, but we can no longer communicate with him. Miss Pava, I think something may have happened.” 

Jess held her breath as she let the information wash over her. “With all due respect… Why are you telling me this? What can I do to help?”

“I was hoping you’d say that.” The General stared at the younger girl for a moment, knowing that what she was about to do was nowhere near protocol. What she was about to ask was more self serving than she’d like to admit. “Poe Dameron is our best pilot. Next in line, Jessika, is you. Now every ounce of my being tells me that sending another one of our talented pilots out to potentially meet the same fate as the first is stupid,” she paused, smoothing the hair around her face, “but I know that even if I hadn’t asked, you would have volunteered.”

 

The two women exchanged a small smile, despite circumstances. 

“You want me to fly to Jakku and find Poe Dameron.” 

“Yes. I want you to fly to Jakku but you need to be smart. We will have you comm in as much as you can. Keep us updated and stay low. If something happened on that planet… If the First Order got there, you need to let us know. I trust you but I will not ask you to stick your neck out farther than you already are. Do you understand?”

Jessika exhaled the breath she hadn’t realized she was still holding. Part of her was honored that she general had thought of her at all for this mission. Another part of her was screaming out for her friend. “When can I leave?”

“As soon as you’d like,” General Organa pressed a button on her desk and spoke into the mouth piece, asking someone on the other end to send supplies down to the hangar holding Jess’s ship. “Jessika, I appreciate this. I can’t help but feel responsible for whatever happens. I’ll have someone load the correct coordinates onto your X Wing before you take off. Do you understand your directions?”

Jess nodded, “Fly to Jakku, stay low, comm in as much as possible. Find Dameron.” 

The general reached a hand over the desk, taking Jess’ own, “Yes. And please, be careful.” 

“I wouldn’t dream of being anything but.” She stood and walked to the door. She had almost left when the General spoke one more time. 

“Jess?” 

She turned, “Yes ma’am?”

The woman had a million emotions etched onto her face. Sadness, regret, concern, but more than anything, hope. “Please bring our pilot home safely.” 

Jess smiled, solemnly. “I intend on it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you loved it! I'd love some feedback on the pacing of this chapter. Once you read someting 100 times you lose any real perspective lol.


	3. Pilot Retrieval

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jess has been used to rescuing Poe for years. Some things never change.

Jessika’s hands shook as she pressed the buttons on the control panel of her X-Wing, preparing to take off. She wasn’t usually this nervous about a mission but this was different. This mission had everything relying on it; the map, the General’s trust in her, but mostly importantly, Poe’s safety. The only thing between Poe and D’Qar was Jessika and if she failed she would never forgive herself. 

“This is Blue Three. Ready for departure.” 

Jessika was surprised to hear the voice of General Organa herself on the other line, “Good luck Blue Three. Call in when you land and be safe.” 

She took a deep breath and brought her ship into the air. Flying usually brought her joy. A fleet of butterflies in her stomach always kept her company, the rush of being in the sky, completely in control of her own movements gave her a rush like nothing else. Today… Well the butterflies were certainly there but for a different reason. She tried to shake her nerves and use them to focus her on the task at hand. “See you soon, Jakku.” 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

When Jess’s ship broke the planet’s atmosphere, she couldn’t help but notice how dry and desolate the surface looked. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, “I can’t believe Poe got lost here.”

She sent a message alerting the Rebel base of her arrival just before she landed the X-wing. Jess could already feel the heat of the sun coming through the window above her and made a point to remove her helmet and heavy jacket. She dropped out of the cockpit slowly, lacking the assistance of a ladder, and looked all around her. Everything looked the same. Hot sand and sun expanded as far as she could see and Jess couldn’t help but feel a little lost herself. “Shit,” she breathed, “how am I ever going to find Poe here?” 

Jess turned and walked up a hill towards her left. If she could get some higher ground, maybe she’d be able to find a town, or… She got an idea. Wasn’t this where the Niima outpost is located? It had a reputation for being scummy but if Poe was alive and needed some kind of assistance he was going to have to find some form of civilization. “If you can even refer to the Niima outpost as civilized,” she whispered aloud. 

At the top of her sandy hill she could just make out the tops of canvas tents. All of them worse for wear, faded and scorched from years in the unrelenting sun. A couple of the structures appeared to have toppled, flaps of fabric hanging limply where it should have been taught. She narrowed her eyes, “Is that smoke?” 

A funnel of black smog seemed to be rising from the settlement. An explosion. Something told her that there had indeed been trouble here. She knew her only choice was to head towards the area and she was going to have to walk. Taking the ship could cause too much attention if there were still troublemakers present.   
She inhaled, taking a step forward. “This is for you Poe Dameron.”

She arrived at the outpost (or from what she could tell was left of the outpost) and made sure to keep some cover. There were still life forms walking around, trying to make sense of the wreckage around them. Jess couldn’t necessarily identify any of them as humans but she also wasn’t about to take a chance of them being alliances with the First Order. She was still wearing the pants of her bright orange flight suit. Idiot. Might as well be wearing a sign around my neck saying I’m with the Alliance.

Looking around her, she noticed the wreckage of what had obviously been a very bad explosion. Something had happened here. There was a hideous creature up ahead, a very fat male with a thick neck and large bulbous hands was yelling at the creatures around him. “I told you to follow the girl and get that droid! Now I’m out a scavenger, a ship, and the DROID.” 

Jess ducked beneath a table in front of her as the creature looked in her direction. What would a droid be doing on a planet like this? Why would – oh no. BB-8. If someone had taken him, where was Poe? Who (and where) is the girl this creature speaks of? She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head clear of the thoughts. Find Poe. That’s why she was here. Jess had to find someone to ask about him. In a moment of desperation, she looked down and removed her orange pants, shoving them into a nearby basket out of sight. Oh well, she thought. They’re regulation. I can always get new ones. The black shorts she had underneath were small, but they would have to do. She clipped her comm link to her waistband, the only hopes of communicating with not just the base, but her ship. Jess stood slowly, as not to reveal her position, and looked around her. 

There was a small creature a few steps away, scrubbing a hunk of metal with a brush. It looked like a small older woman but was clearly not human. It was hard to tell. Jess approached it slowly, “Excuse me? I need some help finding someone.” 

The creature immediately turned and squawked in response, so loud it made Jess jump back a few steps. It ran in the other direction, clearly having no desire to help her out. “Okay. Sorry.” 

Jess sighed, taking in her surroundings. Logically, she knew that if Poe was unconscious (or worse) he could very well still be out in the desert somewhere. She could get on her ship and do a low scape of the planet, hoping she would see something. There was clearly no one here that would be able to help her. 

As she started her walk back to the X-wing, her comm link began to crackle. Someone was trying to communicate with her. Not from the Rebel base; from her ship. “If you’re trying to take the ship I strongly suggest you don’t.” She spoke into the mouth piece, “You’ll have to answer to a very angry General Organa if you do.” 

“That’s a shame,” the voice replied, “I thought she’d be happy to see my handsome face.” 

Jess could hear the smile on his face. It was Poe. She’d found their pilot. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Poe Dameron you’re alive.” She exclaimed, running up to him and wrapping him into a hug. 

He winced under her touch, “Oof. Just barely.” 

“Oh, I’m sorry!” Jess pulled away, “Are you alright?” 

She examined his features, his hair stuck to his forehead with sweat and blood. “Poe what happened to you?” 

His lips curved into a small smile, resting a hand on her shoulder, “Take me home. I’ll tell you on the way.” He looked around for a moment, “Have you seen BB-8? They could be anywhere.” 

Jess shook her head, helping Poe up into the cockpit. “I didn’t see him anywhere, I’m sorry.” She thought about what that ugly creature had said back at the outpost. “Poe I think someone has them. A girl.”

“A girl?”

She climbed into the pilot seat in front of him and nodded. “I overheard someone say that a droid had been taken by a girl. That’s all I know. And we could always be assuming that the droid was BB-8.” 

“Jess it is BB-8, I know it.” He was quiet as Jess called the base to let them know that they were returning. “I left him here. The first time.”

Jess controlled the ship into the air, leaving the desert planet behind. “The first time?”

Poe nodded, “I was here to get the map, as you know. Everything was going well until the First Order found us. I gave the map to BB-8 and told them to get out of here. We were separated… I was captured by Kylo Ren, brought aboard his ship. BB-8 was left behind.” 

Jess’ eyes were wide, “They captured you?”

“He tortured me.”

“Poe.” They were silent for a moment. 

“They know the map is in my droid. I didn’t tell Ren, he just knew.”

“He used the force.”

“He used the force,” Poe confirmed, eyes at the floor. “This is the most important mission I’ve ever been given and I failed.”

“You know no one will blame you, right? This isn’t your fault. No one expects you to beat the First Order on your own. It was a risky mission, you did what you could.”

“And now we’ve lost the map and BB-8.” He exhaled, his head in his hands. 

“Yes, but we’ll get them back Poe. The Resistance always comes out on top.” She forced a small smile, hoping to reassure her friend. Jess knew that Poe would beat himself up for this for the rest of his life. 

“I hope you’re right.” He was quiet, looking out the window at the stars zooming passed them. 

“Poe, how did you escape the First Order? Why were you back on Jakku?”

He leaned back in his chair and smiled. “Finn.”

“Who?”

“FN-2187.”

“A stormtrooper?”

“The best one around.” He smiled too himself. “He helped me escape. We stole a TIE fighter and left the base. I knew I needed to go back to Jakku for BB-8… but we were followed. The ship took too many hits, we went down. I woke up alone, no Finn, no ship. I thought I was dead.” 

“Why did Finn help you?” 

Poe smirked, “Wouldn’t you?”

Jess laughed, despite herself, “You know what I mean.”

“I don’t know. He went against everything he ever knew, everything he’d ever trained for, just to get me out of there alive.” 

“You sure he didn’t just need a pilot?” She smiled at him over her shoulder. 

Poe chuckled, “I’m sure he just needed a pilot but it doesn’t change the fact that it worked out in my favor. He’s a good man. He’s a handsome man.” Jess rolled here eyes at the comment while Poe smiled and then was silent for a moment, “I just wish I knew what happened to him.” 

Jess sobered, hearing the remorse in his voice. “If I could find you, we can find Finn. Maybe the General knows something we don’t.” 

“She always seems to.” Poe smiled, putting a hand on Jess’s shoulder. “Thanks for coming to get me Testor. You’ve always got my back.”

“I already told you I would come to find you. Anything you need Dameron, I’m right here.” 

“I know, I just want to get home.” 

Jess reached for the hand on her shoulder and squeezed, “I know. We’re on our way. General Organa will know how to fix this, I promise. It’s good to have you back.” 

 

They landed back on base in record time. The rest of their squadron was waiting for them, anxious to see whether or not their captain had made it back okay.   
Jess leaned over the side of the cockpit, “Snap, can you help him down? He’s exhausted.”

“I’m fine, Jess. Really.”

“Poe you’ve been gone for over a week. You’re worn out.” She paused, smirking. “And you smell like you could use a shower.” 

“I’ve got him Jess, you can come down.” Snap laughed at their banter. “Nice outfit by the way,” He nodded at her, referencing her small shorts and lack of pilot gear. 

She climbed down the ladder, happy to put her feet on the solid ground of D’Qar. “Comment on my clothing again Snap and you die.” Jess shot him a threatening look but smiled when her teammate laughed.

They were safe, for now. She knew it was only a matter of time until their next mission. If the First Order knows that the map is out there with BB-8, they can’t be far away searching for it. 

“Should we bring him down to the med bay?” Snap stabilized Poe as he stood, making sure the younger man didn’t fall over. 

“I’m okay! I’m just tired. I want to speak to the General.” The tone in Poe’s voice gave away just how exhausted he really was and Jess knew better than to let him call the shots for himself. 

“I’m sure she wants to speak to you too but let’s at least have you checked out first. I’ll have her meet us there.” 

General Organa did, in fact, meet them in medical, while a kind nurse with steady hands gave Poe an IV for fluids. He was other wise just fine, aside for some scrapes and bruises. Once Jess knew he was alright, she stood to walk away from the pair of them. They had important information to discuss and her own bed was sounding better every second. 

“Miss Pava I do believe you’ve earned your right to hear what Poe and I are about to discuss. The boy wouldn’t be here if it hadn’t been for your willingness to bring him home.” 

Jess smiled warmly, flattered at the older woman’s recognition of her success. “With all due respect ma’am, I think I need to go lay down. This trip wasn’t just hard on Poe. Besides, if I’m being honest… He told me everything I needed to know on the way home.” 

Poe shot her an exasperated look, knowing that the general may not have been all too pleased that he released information to Jess that he wasn’t supposed to. Organa laughed at his expression, “Well I figured as such. Dameron you’re in the clear this time. Pava go ahead and rest. I may catch up with you later anyways.” 

“Sure ma’am, thank you.” She nodded politely and ruffled Poe’s hair, walking out of the room. 

The metal doors slip shut behind her and she let out a long breath. Now that she knew Poe was okay, she let her body relax, feeling just how ready for bed she was. She entered the   
passcode to her room and threw herself on the bed upon entry, no energy for anything else. 

Jessika was asleep before her second boot had even fallen to the floor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and enjoying! If you're here for Jess/Rey, I promise Rey is coming up soon! I really wanted to fill in the gaps from Force Awakens before I jump into my own plot :)


	4. Finding BB-8

When Jess woke up the next day, it was already late into the afternoon. She sat up and stretched, a satisfying pull in her muscles. With nothing else to do with her time, she made her way down to the showers and then to the mess hall. 

Poe wasn’t there but some of her pilot buddies were, so she sat down next to them. The group of them were unusually quiet, their typical banter absent from the space around her.

Kare Kun, a commander of the Stiletto Squadron, was the first to speak to her. “Alright Pava, spill.”

“Huh?”

“Tell us what happened! Where was Dameron? Why was he there?” 

Jess put her fork down, secretly enjoying the attention from her peers. “You guys know I’m not supposed to say anything. If it was public information, General Organa would call a meeting.” 

“Come on, Testor! It’s no fair that you should get to have all the fun!” Snap tugged on her ponytail, laughing. “You’re lame.” 

“I’m not lame! I’m respecting the privacy of more important matters than myself.” 

Kare rolled her eyes, “Dameron would tell us if he were here.” 

Jessika snorted at her but didn’t take the bait, “You’re probably right, considering he can’t keep a secret for more than 15 minutes at a time.” She knew that was only mostly true. Poe would   
tell his team anything but when it came down to enemy lines, well… She knew that Kylo Ren really did have to use the force to get information from Poe. 

“Is he still in medical?”

“To be honest I’m not quite sure. I was going to go find him after dinner.” 

“I went to see him earlier today, he’s doing just fine,” Snap reassured her. “Our boy came back to us in one piece.” 

Thanks to the elusive Finn, Jess thought. I wonder where he is. She smiled at Snap, thanking him for the reassurance. 

Her attention was caught by something across the room. C-3PO, General Organa’s favorite messenger, was making his way over to them. 

“Miss Pava! I am glad to see you awake!” 

“How can I help you C-3PO?”

“The General is requesting your presence in her office at once. I will escort you if you’d like.”

Jess sighed and looked down at her unfinished food, “Never a dull moment around here, huh?”

“Oh yes,” the droid replied, ignoring the hypothetical nature of the question, “the rebel base is a very exciting place to be.”

Her table mates chuckled. “Jess we’re going to hang out in the lounge later. Join us?” Kare asked. 

“Yeah, I’ll see you guys later.”

 

~

Jess sat in the General’s office with Poe, and a few other members of the Alliance that she recognized but didn’t know their names. Their leader stood behind her desk, clearing her throat before speaking. 

“Yesterday, Poe Dameron returned from a mission to retrieve the map to Luke Skywalker. He was successful in retrieving the map itself but an interception from the First Order caused the droid carrying that data to go missing.” 

Poe shifted in his seat, clearly feeling the guilt of what happened. 

“Now Dameron you know I do not blame you. Our challenge now is to find that information.” She looked at the faces around her. “I’ll be honest, I had very few ideas of where to start looking. The astromech droid has a tracking device but it is either out of range or has been damaged intentionally so that we cannot locate it. My next step was to make a few calls around to see if anyone had spotted the droid and to let them know they needed to alert us if it was found. It turns out, that brought us some luck. I received a call just a few moments ago from Han Solo himself.”

Everyone in the room seemed to take a breath at once. “The Han Solo?” Jess claimed, despite herself. 

“The very one. He was sending out signals, looking for his stolen ship, the Millennium Falcon. Turns out it had been stolen off the Niima Outpost on Jakku, where Miss Pava and Dameron have just returned from. On board was a scavenger girl, a young man claiming to be with the resistance, and a certain white and orange BB unit.” She smiled. “We’ve found our precious cargo.” She directed her attention to Poe, “And we’ve found your stormtrooper, Dameron.” 

“Are they safe? Who is this girl?”

“If they’re with Han, they’re safe. He doesn’t know much about the girl, just that she was able to pilot the Falcon without training and that she is well versed in repair work.”  
Poe seemed to relax his entire body, a tension Jess wasn’t sure he knew he was holding. “What happens now, General?” 

“I want to leave that up to you. Someone needs to retrieve the BB unit, but I’ll understand if-“ 

“We’ll go,” Poe and Jess said in unison, making the general smile. 

“I figured as such. Han is taking them to Maz Kanata’s castle on Takodana. You two can meet them there and bring them home. You’ll depart in the morning.” 

She dismissed them, confident that they would be able to handle themselves on such a simple mission. 

“You excited to see your wonder boy tomorrow?” Jess teased as the door closed behind them, knowing what was on Poe’s mind. 

He gave her a shove, smiling. “I am, actually. I never got to properly thank him. Finn did something great that day and I’m glad we’ll get to tell him that.” 

They headed toward the lounge, anxious to have some time to relax. “Poe, who do you think this girl is?”

“Who knows?” He scratched at his jaw. “Seems useful though. Anyone that pilots a ship like the Falcon untrained could fit in nicely here.”

“What makes you think she’ll want to join up with the Alliance?”

“I don’t, its just an offer I wouldn’t refuse if I was given the chance. Maybe she’ll want to be a part of something important.” 

Jess smiled at her friend’s constant faith in other people. “Not if you scare her off first, dooming her to a life of pilots and machinery.” 

Poe mirrored her expression, his tone serious, “Do you feel doomed to be here?”

“Oh you know that’s not what I meant. I belong here. I just didn’t want to sentence the poor girl to a life of the corny jokes you and Snap tell through the interflight system.” She laughed,   
watching Poe feign offense. 

“Those jokes are some of my best work! Careful, you’ll have me wishing I was back on Jakku with nothing but the sand to keep me company.” 

She rolled her eyes at him, “You know I’d just make the trip to rescue you all over again.” 

Poe wrapped his arms around her shoulders as they walked. “I know you would. My keeper, Jessika Pava. Thanks for being my best friend.” 

“Someone’s gotta do it, you reckless man.” 

 

~

 

Jessika laid in her bed that night with a tired body and an active mind. Her thoughts kept swirling around the next day, wondering what Finn would be like. The man had saved Poe’s life, but for him to be that excited about someone, well… That was special. The first time Jess had ever seen Poe in love was when they were 17. A girl from a neighboring town on Danduran with hair like sunshine and freckles that brushed her cheeks; constellations enviable by even the stars themselves. She was all that space had to offer made into a human being. Poe would bring the girl around with them on all their adventures. Climbing trees, learning to swim, making tree houses out of sticks and old sheets from their parents’ houses. Jess and Poe would take risks together, while the other girl would sit back and make sure they were okay. Poe would get messy with Jess and then let his love clean him back up, take care of him. Jess hadn’t seen Poe smile like he had when that girl kissed him in years. Until he told Jess about FN-2187. 

And the girl. 

What would she be like? Who was she? Jess wanted to believe that she was good, that she was someone the Alliance could trust. If Han Solo himself thinks she’s worth something, then well that was as good a recommendation as gold. She closed her eyes and smiled to herself, maybe she’ll be pretty. 

Jess thought of her home. She was never close with her parents, but had no reason to spite them. They were kind enough, had given her a childhood to feel nostalgic about. Sometimes when she couldn’t sleep at night, she’d imagine she was in her old bed back on Danduran. A set of bunk beds she shared with her sister. Jess had insisted on the top bunk because “X wings fly in the sky, not on the ground.” Her sister was older and out ranked her; Jess ended up with the bottom. She can still picture the tiny aircrafts she had scraped into the material above her with a pocket knife; could still feel the impressions in the wood on her fingertips. She felt so safe in that room with her sister asleep above her, listening to the soft noises of her breathing. 

The room presently around her was so quiet. 

Jess thought about what Poe had said to her earlier that day, “Do you feel doomed to be here?”

Of course she didn’t. She had only ever wanted to be on this base, fighting for what she knew was right. Jess never felt better than in the seat of her X-wing, hearing the voices of her friends through the comm links. The only time Jess ever felt melancholy was when she was alone at night. There was little opportunity for her to find a partner here, for her to belong to someone. If put on the spot, Jess would tell you that she didn’t believe in relationships; that sex felt the same either way. She’d wink at whomever had asked and move on. On nights like this, she knew that was bullshit. Jess longed for someone to confide in on dark nights; when missions loomed over her head like storm clouds full of rain that would inevitably fall. Someone to tell her deepest fears to that would lock them inside to never share with another soul. Jess wanted that now more than ever and as she drifted off to sleep, she hoped that someday she would find it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you guys think? Thank you for all of your kind words and kudos! I've got chapters edited and ready to go after this one and will work on chapter 7 tonight. Let me know how you're liking the story so far!


	5. Defending Takodana

The mission had not gone as planned. Poe had pulled Jess out of bed the next morning, talking a mile a minute about how the First Order had landed on Takodana. They needed to get there immediately and they were bringing all squadrons to fight. This was no longer a simple trip to pick up a droid. General Organa suspected that the First Order had allies on the planet; the nature of the cantina bringing creatures from all walks of life. It was not outlandish to assume their presence there had garnered attention from unfriendly folks looking to be on Kylo Ren’s good side. All they could do now was get there before Kylo got what he wanted. 

Their X wings had broken in the atmosphere with not a second to spare. Smoke was rising from what Jess could tell used to be a grand and vibrant castle, the many flags littering the outside beginning to catch fire and melt away. She tried not to think of all the innocent creatures that could still be inside, naively assuring herself that they all had warning enough to escape before the real damage was done. Jess watched the structure buckle as she listened to Poe rattle off formation instructions, thousands of years of culture tumbling to the soft soil. Her heart cried for Maz but she knew she was here to do her job and tried not to let her emotions cloud her duty.

The team of pilots worked relentlessly, swinging left and right to avoid enemy fire but making sure to fire back at every enemy ship. What seemed like hours must only have been a couple minutes as they worked diligently to fend off their enemy, protecting those scrambling across the ground below. She could vaguely make out the figures running around, mostly storm troopers with blasters, but someone was catching her attention. 

“There’s a man down there with a lightsaber.” She exclaimed, excitement building at the sight. She’d never seen one in person, not that this was a close encounter. She looked closer, flying lower than she knew was safe, and saw a tall figure, dressed in all black, sunlight glinting off the metal on their helmet. Kylo Ren. In his arms was the form of a person – a girl around Jess’s own age, clothing dragging on the ground as Kylo brought her onto his own ship. 

And suddenly, they were retreating. 

“Testor, get out of the there!”

Jess listened to her commander, knowing there was no point in being reckless now. “What’s our next move, Dameron?”

“Let’s go home. We got what we came here for.”

 

~

 

Jessika watched Poe and Finn’s reunion with a small melancholy smile. 

“Poe Dameron, you’re alive!” The young man was wearing Poe’s jacket, Jess noted. 

He’s in too deep already. She thought, stepping back and examining her ship. It had taken a couple hits on Takodana but nothing she couldn’t fix herself. She opened her tool box, ready to use the adrenaline from their mission to focus on fixing her X wing. As she got to work, she let her mind wander. If the Alliance has the map now, who is going to go to Skywalker? The General, she assumed. The woman was always kind with a good sense of humor, but there was a lingering sadness in her that could only be the result of missing a family member. Organa worked so hard for a cause outside of herself, she deserved some happiness after all that she had been through. 

As Jess worked, she could hear bits of Poe and Finn’s conversation. “Kylo Ren took her, Poe. I saw him take her, we’ve got to get Rey back.”

Rey. If she hadn’t been paying much attention before, she was now. “We’ll get her back, okay? I need you to come meet the general. She’ll want to talk to you too.” 

Poe looked over his shoulder as he walked away with Finn, his arm around the younger man’s shoulder. He gave Jess a small smile and kept moving. 

For a second, Jess was angry. She had wanted to meet Finn and was hurt that Poe did not introduce them but she also knew that there was more at stake than her emotions. Poe hadn’t introduced them because there was no time, not because she was unimportant. She knew jealousy was not a good look for her and took a deep breath, brushing hair behind her ears. Her missions had been complete.

So what now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit short, I know. BUT to make up for it, the next chapter is really (really really) long, AND Rey is in it! Thanks for reading!


	6. How Not to Drink Corellian Whiskey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was SO fun to write. Mostly because Rey has finally shown up, and our little group gets to have some fun! Enjoy!

The next few days on the Rebel base were a blur. If you were to ask Jess, she would tell you that it had only been 24 hours. She didn’t realize the date until she had finally been able to return to her bunk and saw the calendar projected on the wall. It had been 4 days and 11 hours since rescuing BB-8 and Finn from Takodana. Looking around her room, Jess made herself focus on the familiarity of her belongings. The top left drawer on her dresser was open, a sock draped over the side. The papers on her desk showed the design she had sketched – a modification she wanted to make to the X wings to create better agility. There was still a glass of water on her bedside table, half evaporated into the dry air of her bedroom. All of these items had remained the same over the past 4 days, but Jess (and every other person on this base) had changed. 

They were heroes. 

Star Killer base had been destroyed. The threat of the First Order still loomed over the galaxy, but without their base, they wouldn’t have the resources to make a move for a long time. The win had not come without sacrifice. The Resistance had lost ships, droids, but most importantly, people. Jess did not know Han Solo but she mourned him all the same. He had been a catalyst to their attack on the base and they would all be forever grateful. For now, in this moment, there was peace on the base. 

There were plans for the evening to celebrate. General Organa requested that they all enjoy themselves, experience some well deserved amusement. To be honest, Jess thought that sounded like a great idea. She usually rolled her eyes at the idea of a base wide event. While her fellow pilots were her friends and her family, she never feigned interest in getting to know everyone. After witnessing your own people die for a cause... Well, you lighten up a bit. Jess knew she would try. 

She brushed her hair and put on some clean clothes before leaving her room. She followed the familiar halls to Poe’s room, hoping that he would go with her to the festivities. Everything was easier with Poe, especially human interaction. There was a man waiting outside of his door, a handsome guy with dark skin and vibrant eyes. She was surprised to see him here. He had been brought back from the base on a stretcher, the med workers unsure of whether or not he would wake up. From the way he was standing, it was obvious that he was favoring one leg, and a bandage was peaking out from under his shirt.

Jess smiled at him, “You must be Finn.” 

He walked over and hugged her, squeezing her like a friend he’s known for years. “You must be Jessika.”

“If I wasn’t, this hug would be really awkward.” 

They both laughed, breaking away and examining the other. “You saved my best friend. I can’t even tell you how amazing I think you are.” 

Finn shrugged, embarrassed by the compliment, “To be fair, you saved him too. You just finished the job I started.” 

“Yeah but I’m stuck with him, I acted out of obligation,” she winked. “You’re a good man, Finn.”

Poe stepped out of his bunk, a nicer shirt and pants on him than Jess had seen in years. “He is a good man. I see you two have met.”

Jess whistled in his direction, “Look at you! Do you have product in your hair?”

He blushed, uncharacteristically shy about Jess’s comment. “I thought the occasion called for a little extra effort, don’t mock me. I’m just proud you brushed your hair before coming out tonight.” 

“Hey now, I meant it as a compliment, no need for your attitude.” She stuck her tongue out at him like she used to when they were young. “Let’s go now, I want to get to the food before Snap does.”

They walked side by side, Finn chuckling at the banter flowing between the two old friends. Jess wondered if he missed his own friends, or more solemnly, if they were allowed to make them as Stormtroopers. Finn was kind, she could tell. He never teased, even when prodded, and seemed to enjoy their company without needing to be the center of attention. Jess could see why Poe had taken such a fast likeness to the man and was glad to have him around. 

“Is Rey meeting us down there, Finn? Or should we go get her from her bunk.” Poe directed the sentence at Finn, but raised his eyebrows at Jess. “You’ll like Rey, Jess.”

Finn did not pick up on the implications of Poe’s statement, “You will like her. I think General Organa is escorting her down. Something about introductions.”

From what Jess had been told of Rey, she was impressed. The girl had been isolated on Jakku, with no family or guidance to help her in the world. She had scavenged for parts to survive, in time learning the inside of machines and becoming quite talented with her mechanics. Jess had also been told that the girl was force sensitive and was their next chance at a Jedi. She could only imagine what the girl must be feeling at that moment, experiencing so many new things, exposed to so many new people. They were all shaken up, but they still had this base to call home. Rey’s world must feel completely upside down now that she’s here. 

The gathering was to be held in the mess hall, but Jess knew that as the night progressed (and the glasses of Corellian whiskey got bigger) they would be spread throughout the base, some of them even outside. Dinner was being served as usual, but they had arranged a bar with honest to god cocktails, instead of the usual caf and juice. Snap and Kare waved the three of them over to their table where the pilots had already set up some kind of complicated drinking game. Jess smiled at them, knowing that this was going to be a fun night. 

From her side, Jess noticed Finn’s eyes scanning the crowd. She could only assume that he was looking for his friend. She followed his gaze when he smiled, “Over here!” 

Jess turned and found the General Walking in their direction. With her, was a girl around Jess’s age. Tall and muscular, her arms toned from what Jess assumed were years of scavenging. Her brown hair was tied back into three neat buns, exposing a jaw line that made Jess all but swoon on the spot. Her lips looked full, her eyes soft and gentle. Like Finn’s. 

She leaned over into Poe’s ear, “You never told me she was this pretty.” 

“I wanted you to see for yourself,” Jess couldn’t see his face but she knew he was smirking at her reaction. 

“Good evening, General Organa.” Poe reached out to shake the older woman’s hand but instead was grabbed and pulled into what looked like a bone crushing hug.

“You look so handsome tonight! What a treat it is to see you all dressed up like this!” The general’s eyes were swimming with pride, a pleasant change from the somber expression she had been sporting since the loss of Han Solo. “I’ve been showing Rey here around the room but I was hoping the lot of you would keep her company.” 

The young girl smiled at them, eyeing the general as if searching for approval, “I’ve shaken so many strangers’ hands already tonight it might be nice to be with friends.” 

Rey and Finn beamed at each other. She seemed tentative to use the word “friend” but stood a bit straighter when Finn reacted positively. For someone that has just experienced a battle and was presently in the company of hundreds of people she’d never met, Jess was floored by the confidence with which Rey held herself. She seemed tentative but was acutely aware of those around her, any signs of approval making her relax all the more. While any other person would be shy and withdrawn, Rey seemed to blossom in the presence of others. 

“I’m going to make my rounds. You’ll be comfortable here, Rey?” The general placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “Enjoy your evening everyone,” she pointed at Snap, “And stay out of trouble.” She wagged her finger at the man while he chuckled.

“You’ll have no issues from me, ma’am.” He saluted her, a sign of respect that somehow still felt sarcastic coming from the Resistance’s class clown. 

As General Organa walked away, the pilots resumed their game. Snap handed Jess a glass of whiskey, who gladly knocked a sip back. It burned in a familiar way, both pleasant and acrid. 

Finn stepped forward, cupping Rey’s elbow in his palm. “How are you doing?” His expression was filled with genuine curiosity and admiration for his friend. “You’ve met all of these guys right?”

Rey nodded, tactfully removing herself from his grasp and giving him a look that could only have said “I can do this without you holding my hand.” “Yes Finn, in fact, I think I’ve met every last human, droid, and starship on this base. The General made sure I – I don’t know who she is.”

Rey’s eyes had landed on Jess, and in turn, so did their friends’. Jess coughed into her cup, the alcohol getting sucked into her wind pipe as she blushed from being under the other girl’s gaze. 

“Um,” she coughed, “I’m-“ another cough, “Jessika.” 

“Way to be smooth,” Kare whispered in her ear smirking, patting Jess on the back. 

“Jess Pava here is my second in command, both in real life and in the air. I wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for her.” Poe shot Jess a knowing smirk. 

“More like resident smart ass and lesbian pilot extraordinaire.” Snap proclaimed, tossing a small white ball into a plastic cup on the other side of the table.

“It’s nice to meet you Rey,” Jess grinned and looked down at her shoes. Her ears and cheeks were burning but whether it was from exertion or embarrassment, she didn’t know. “Eat shit, Snap.” 

He laughed, bouncing a ball off of her shoulder before she stuck her tongue out at him, throwing it back. He dodged it in time, allowing it to hit a sanitation worker at the next table in the back of his head. Both Jess and Snap looked away snickering, trying to avoid a fight. 

“Are you guys always like this?” Rey was grinning at the interaction around her. “I don’t think I can keep up. There weren’t exactly opportunities for friendship back on Jakku.” 

Rey had said it with a smile on her face but the statement made Jess’s heart hurt in her chest. The isolation the girl grew up in must have been suffocating. She thought back to the sandy  
desert she had plucked Poe from and almost cried; that is no way for a young girl to grow up, especially someone with as much potential as Rey.

Poe had also picked up the implication of Rey’s comment, the corners of his mouth turning into a frown for a moment. “You know we’re your friends now right?” He winked at her. “So you’re officially part of this band of idiots too.” 

Rey beamed at him, her nose wrinkling with amusement, “I’ve never been so honored to be referred to as an idiot before.”

The group laughed, all of them relieved that their new friend seemed to be enjoying herself. 

“Would you like something to drink Rey?” Finn offered, resting his hand on Poe’s shoulder. Jess noticed the way Poe’s cheeks tinged red, his eyes glancing briefly at Finn’s fingers. Oh she would tease him about that later, Jess thought to herself. “Poe and I will get you a whiskey.”

“Well, actually I’ve never had anything like that before,” the girl shrugged. “Another luxury I lacked at home.”

Finn cringed, “Maybe not whiskey then.”

“No I’d like to try it! I want to become accustomed to everything you guys have. I promise to take it slow.”

“Famous last words!” Jess teased, amused by the naivety in the girl that at the same time carried the weight of the galaxy. She felt that Rey deserved to have every opportunity for fun before the galaxy thrust more responsibility on her. Jess made it her mission to personally see to it that Rey learned what it was like to have a good time. 

~

 

Several hours and multiple glasses of whiskey later, the lot of them were running across the grass outside of the base towards one of the giant hills the building rested between. 

“Will you guys stop running so fast! Some of us have little legs!” Jess shouted in the boys’ direction. Finn and Poe were holding hands, making a beeline for the top of the hill. In their other  
hands were the lids to the trash bins they had stolen from the mess hall so they could “sled” on the grass outside, despite the lack of snow. “On second thought,” she threw her own lid on the ground, collapsing beside it, “I think this is about as far as I’m gonna make it.” 

Jess laid down on her back, out of breath. Her gaze on the sky above her spun slightly, partially thanks to the alcohol in her system but part of the blame definitely fell upon the beautiful girl standing above her. 

“You can join them, Rey. Leave me here to suffer.” She grinned sheepishly up at her new friend. 

“I think I’d quite like to stay here with you, thanks.” Rey sat down next time Jess, wrapping hers arms around her knees. “The world is spinning a bit more than I’d prefer it to.”  
Jess laughed heartily, looking over at her, “Remember when you said you’d take it slow?”

Rey blushed, resting her forehead on her arms. “That was before Snap challenged me to that game.”

“You’re a loser, Pava!” Poe shouted down to them from the top of the slope, settling his bottom onto the ground.

“You can’t lose a game you’re not playing, Dameron!” She chuckled again, throwing an arm over her eyes. 

“You coming up here, Rey?” Finn yelled, in position next to Poe. 

She picked her head up, “I’m alright down here, thanks. I’ll watch you guys!” The corners of her eyes crinkled as she gleamed up at her friend. “Be careful!” 

Jess brought her knees up, planting her feet on the ground with her back still resting on the grass. She smiled to herself as she listened to the boys hoots and hollers as they slid down the green earth, laughing at each other. It had been a long time since anyone had been able to have fun like this and she was relishing every moment. It would only be a matter of time before life got hectic again, before the First Order crawled out of whatever corner it had retreated into. Jess thought of the danger they could be in now and whether or not she should fear for the lives of her friends, the reality of war now a very present memory in her mind. Her gaze fell upon the glittering stars above her, wondering if the people they had lost were really up there like some of the elders used to say. She didn’t know if she quite believed in that, but found comfort in it all the same. 

“You’re frowning.” Rey pointed out, still resting her head upon her arms. 

“And you’re staring at me,” Jess teased, tilting her head over to look at Rey. 

The other girl blushed, turning away as she realized that she had in fact been staring. “I’m sorry.” She brushed a loose lock of hair over her ear, the usually tidy updo coming undone from all of their running around. “You’re quite beautiful.”

Jess balked, a mix of laughter and a cough erupting from her throat. “What?”

Rey looked over at Jess, with her hair thrown back on the ground, black ribbons among green blades, tangling together. The exposed strip of skin between Jess’s shirt and pants caused Rey to blush again, this time squeezing her eyes shut and giggling. “I’m having a hard time socializing correctly.”

Jess joined her in amusement, “You can chock that all back to the whiskey, I’m afraid. It makes you say anything on your mind.” She raised her eyebrows in mock accusation, her heart fluttering before adding “and I must say I’m flattered to know that I’m what’s on your mind.”

Rey smiled at her before looking down and playing with the hem of her pants. “I’m sorry if I embarrassed you.”

Jess chuckled, rolling her eyes. “Have you heard the way these guys speak to me? It takes a lot more than that to cause me embarrassment.” She rolled onto her stomach, facing the other girl. Rey was looking down, tugging at the blades of grass beneath her. Jess realized she needed to do damage control before Rey receded too far into her own mind. 

She poked at Rey’s calf with her finger. “Hey. Look at me.”

Her friend glanced up sheepishly, her expression exposing the thoughts jumping around in her brain. 

“Can I ask you what’s on your mind?” Jess held Rey’s gaze, willing her to open up. 

She nodded, taking in a breath before speaking, “I’m just trying to fit in here. I’ve never been around other people really and I want you guys to like me.” She shrugged, “There was no one to learn from on Jakku. Sometimes it’s like speaking only enough of a language to get by but desperately watching a native speaker to try and learn something. I can watch all I want, but I’m still not sure when I’m making someone uncomfortable.” 

Jess cupped her chin with her hands, chewing on her reply. What do you say to someone that’s been isolated their entire life but just wants to fit in? 

“There’s never been a moment in my life where I had to worry about getting along with people. I scavenged for my survival. My worries were far more dire than my worries here.” Rey paused, her eyes following Finn as he slid down the hill again. “I’m just trying to adjust.” 

“You’re doing a great job, you know.” Jess sat up, putting herself on Rey’s level. “We’ve only been talking for what, a few hours? And here we are chatting like old friends.”  
Rey smiled a bit, her fingers playing with a blade of grass dangerously close to Jessika’s own hand. “Thank you for listening to me.” She laid on her back, stretching her legs out in front of her. “I think the world is still spinning a bit more than I’d like it to.”

Jess laughed at her, standing up and wiping off the back of her pants, “Alright then, I’d say its time all of us went to bed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really proud of this chapter, mostly because it was by far the most fun to write. Let me know how you liked it!


	7. What the Force Feels Like

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't stop writing this chapter for some reason, so it's really long. Hope that's cool lol. Enjoy!

When the alarm on Jess’s comlink went off the next morning, she was sure the noise would cause her already pounding head to explode. The blinking hologram on the wall proved that it was, in fact, time for all of the pilots on base to start heading down to training. Despite the fact that Star Killer base had been destroyed, Poe insisted on continuing their training. The First Order may be wounded but anyone that had been a part of the Resistance for long enough knew that danger was ever present. Letting their guard down could mean death and Poe didn’t want them to get lazy.

Jess rolled over onto her back, placing the cool side of the pillow over her face, wondering how late she could be before Poe noticed she was gone. There was only one other time she’d attempted being late to her duties and Poe had let BB-8 re-wire the transmission on Jess’s starship to play a radio station from Naboo. Listening to Gungan pop songs for even 30 seconds had sent her into a fit of rage enviable of Kylo Ren himself, but she had learned her lesson. No one was late for training when Poe Dameron is your commander, not even his best friend. Jess rolled her eyes at the memory, placing both feet on the ground and willing her body to stand. 

A knock on the door caught her attention. “You can come in but you better have caf in your hands. Otherwise, I’m dangerous.” 

The door slid open, Finn stepping into the room with two paper cups in his hands. “I suppose I’m safe then.” He smiled, taking a few steps and handing Jess her morning fuel. 

“Bless you, you handsome gracious man.” She took a swig and placed the cup on her night stand. “Why are you here? Not that I’m unhappy to see you.” She grabbed her jumpsuit off the bed post behind her, stepping into it.

Finn shrugged sheepishly, sitting down on her bed, “To be honest, Poe sent me. He knew you might be having a hard time getting up this morning. Told me some story about BB-8 reprogramming a radio?”

Jess laughed, squeezing her eyes shut with pain once the noise reacted with her headache, “He knows me too well. How are you feeling?”

He took a sip of his caf, swallowing with satisfaction, “Let’s just say I’m thankful for the guy that invented this stuff and pain killers. I’m never gonna drink like that ever again.”

“Yeah, if I had a credit for every time I’ve said that…” Jess ran a brush through her hair, checking her reflection in mirror. “How’s Rey feeling? Are you guys meeting us for lunch today?” She looked at the time on the wall, “Shit, I’ve gotta run.” 

“I haven’t seen her yet today but she’s my next stop. We’ll stop by the hangar before we go down to the mess, okay?” 

Jess grabbed her helmet off the ground by the foot of her bed, giving Finn a kiss on the cheek as she stood. “Awesome, we’ll see you later then. Thanks for the caf!” She ran out the door, letting it slide closed behind her with Finn still inside. She smiled to herself as she sped down the hallway towards the hangar, happy to have a new friend that not only watched out for Poe, but seemed to be watching out for her too. 

 

~

 

Training went as expected, as they didn’t have any immediate danger to be preparing for. The time typically consisted of Poe shouting formations in the communication system to see how fast they could switch. The session had ended simply because they had run out of things to practice and Snap had started telling “knock-knock” jokes whenever there was a moment of silence. Once they had landed and collected themselves, Poe took the time to remind them that while their session today may have been boring, that was a luxury. Their ability to be bored meant that they had done their jobs successfully and that training like this is what made them the best pilots in the Resistance. Jess fought the urge to roll her eyes but knew that Poe was right and took pride in the grace with which her friend held himself. Poe’s unwavering allegiance for their cause is absolutely what made them so effective. Their commander dismissed them with a smile, thanking them for the hard work (and reminding Snap that no one tells knock-knock jokes anymore). 

Jess let her eyes search the hangar for her friends, the rumble in her stomach reminding her that it was time for lunch. Disappointment clouded her a bit when she realized she couldn’t find them, hoping they were just on their way. 

“Looking for Rey?” Jess turned, Poe coming up beside her, raising his eyebrows knowingly, “The General requested a meeting with her. Finn was going to meet us in the mess hall but-“

“But?” Jess prodded, already disappointed that their lunch plans had fallen through.

“But,” He shot her a look for interrupting, “I’ve really got to get some admin work done before I can go anywhere and BB-8 needs to get back to my room.” The orange and white astromech droid rolled over upon hearing it’s name, cooing questioningly. “Would you mind walking them up there for me?”

Jess groaned, pushing her bottom lip out for effect, “I’m so hungry though! No offense BB-8.”

The little droid rolled into her leg, nudging her impatiently. 

“And you can eat later with Finn and I! You know, technically you’re declining an order from your commanding officer.” Poe grinned, satisfied with his ability to pull rank to get his way. 

Jess rolled her eyes, turning away from him. “Come on BB-8, let’s get you home since your father is so neglectful of you.” 

BB-8 “squead” with delight, rolling a couple feet ahead of her. 

“Thanks Jess, see you at lunch!” Poe laughed from behind her as she stuck a middle finger out over her shoulder. 

The door to the hangar closed behind Jess and her droid companion, silencing Poe’s laughter and leaving them in the quiet hallway. She giggled to herself as she walked, remembering the incident that had caused the droid to be escorted wherever they went. 

“Hey BB, remember that time you found a rodent in the hallway and followed it outside?” 

The droid shot her what could only be a look of warning, a low beep emitting from it’s speaker. 

“And then we had to send out a search party because you got stuck in the river bank and fell into low power mode?” A little metal arm emerged from BB-8’s body, shocking Jess on the leg. 

“Ouch!” She yelped, laughing as the droid sped ahead of her and around the corner, attempting to avoid further harassment. She heard the little machine squeal in recognition at someone 

Jess couldn’t see yet, making Jess jog forward a few steps. 

“Oh hey, Rey!” Jess’s face lit up upon seeing the other girl. Rey was leaning down, patting BB-8’s dome and smiling. 

“BB-8 says you’ve been teasing them.” She grinned up at Jess, her nose wrinkling with amusement. 

“Yes well BB-8 has also always been a tattletale.” She shot the droid a look, earning another round of warning beeps. Jess had always had a good relationship with her best friend’s droid, mostly because her own was simply a standard issue model, built to fit her X-Wing. Astromech droids didn’t typically have as much personality as BB-8 for they are typically designed for practical reasons, but that just made everyone on base enjoy the company of their orange and white friend all the more. “Are you heading down to the mess? Finn and Poe are going to meet us there. They said you had a meeting with the General?”

Rey’s facial expression fell a bit, standing to her full height, “Yeah, Leia and I just finished speaking. I’m going to head out for a walk, actually.” 

Jess winced a bit at the casual use of General Organa’s first name. “Oh? Want us to join you? I’m sure BB-8 would love the exercise.” The droid squealed in agreement.

The other girl shifted uncomfortably, “Actually, I need to go by myself. I’ve, uh, I’ve got some things to think about.” She looked down at her feet, pushing the toe of her shoe into the ground. 

“Oh. Okay.” Jess nodded, the sting of rejection prickling at her skin. “I guess we’ll see you around then.” She turned to walk past Rey, gesturing for the droid to follow her. Jess hoped that her disappointment hadn’t read too strong on her features, knowing that Rey didn’t have to accept her offer; she’d just been hoping that she would.   
BB-8 whistled a question beside her, it’s pace notably slower than before. 

“I don’t know think she turned us down because she doesn’t like us, BB-8. She’s just got a lot on her mind.” 

Jess wasn’t confident that she was just reassuring the droid, thinking that she’d needed to hear those words just as well. 

 

~

 

Late that night, after Jess had fallen asleep, she awoke with a start. There was a low crackle emitting through her comm link, someone trying to get her attention without being loud. She squeezed her eyes shut, annoyed that she had been pulled from her heavy sleep. Her hand found the button in the dark, answering the call. 

“This better be good if you’re waking me up at this hour.”

“Jess, its me. Code Ewok.”

Jess’s eyes snapped open in the dark, heart beginning to pump faster. It was Poe. “I’ll be right there.” She answered, ending the call. ‘Code Ewok’ was something the two of them had used since they were young, a defining term that let the other one know they needed help. Jess was used to it being whispered through comm calls but it was usually in regards to being in trouble with parents for setting something on fire, or coming home after curfew. Presently, she couldn’t figure out what Poe would need from her, the pair of them being relatively safe on the Resistance base. 

Jess shuffled down the hall, moving quickly and quietly towards Poe’s bunk. The building around her was usually buzzing with energy, a hub of excitement, full of people rushing to complete important tasks. At night however, the camp was eerily empty, lacking its usual life forms, darkness draping over them like a heavy curtain. Even with the knowledge that there were several guards standing around entrances to keep them safe, Jess was glad when she reached Poe’s door. 

She entered without knocking, the cold steel granting her entrance to her friend’s quarters. Poe looked up as she came in, his body rolled into the corner between his bed and the wall. Jess blanched at the sight of him; the commander of the Resistance pilots, usually steadfast and graceful, was shivering in his bed like a child. His hair was unkempt with sleep, a light sheen of sweat across his forehead as if sick with the flu. 

“Poe are you okay?”

“Come here,” he peeped, his voice a child like whisper, uncharacteristically timid. “I need you.”

Jess crossed the room in seconds, sliding onto the bed next to her friend. She wrapped her arms around him as he leaned into her; she could feel him trembling beneath her touch. Placing a kiss to the top of his head, she asked, “What’s going on?”

He closed his eyes, a shaky breath escaping him, “I had… I dreamed about him. About Ren.” He paused, unsure of how to communicate what he saw in his mind’s eye. “I was back on Star Killer. He was right there, in my face. Ren was yelling about something, I can’t remember. But the pain was there, the pressure of the Force. It was like being suffocated with something you can’t physically see and I thought…” He trailed off, resting his head on Jess’s chest.

“What did you think, Poe?”

“I thought he was going to kill me. To find BB-8.”

Jess was silent for a moment. They had never discussed what had happened to Poe when he was captured. She had waited for him to bring it up, knowing it must have been something he’d rather forget. “Do you get these nightmares a lot?”

Poe shook his head, “No. This is the first one, actually. I thought since we had won, for now, that they’d never come.”

There was a knock on the door and Jess felt Poe’s muscles tense beneath her grip. She squeezed him a bit firmer, letting him know she was there. He looked up at her, questioning who that could be. 

A muffled voice on the other side of the door came through, “Hi, I’m sorry. It’s Rey. Can I come in?”

“Rey?” The two said in unison. 

“Come in,” Jess said, relaxing the grip she had on her friend, but not letting him go. 

The door slid open and Rey walked into the room, rubbing her arms sheepishly. “I’m awfully sorry to interrupt,” she started, eyeing the two of them on the bed. “I could hear you, Poe. Through the Force. I came as soon as I could, I just had a hard time finding your room.” She blushed, looking down at her feet. 

“Come sit with us,” Jess placed her open palm on the bed in front of them, smoothing the wrinkles on the bed spread. 

Rey stepped forward tentatively, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Are you okay?” She addressed Poe, her voice low and even. 

He nodded, his brow furrowing in confusion. “You could hear me?”

“I could see your dream. I’m sorry, if that’s over stepping. I can’t quite control my power yet.” Rey hesitated, as if asking permission, before resting her hand on the knee he had propped between him and Jess. “Do you want to talk about it? I have dreams about what happened too.”

Poe thought for a moment, rolling the question around in his mind, “Does it always hurt? The force?”

Rey shook her head sadly, brushing a stray hair behind her ear. “No, not if it’s used without mal intent. I guess I wouldn’t know, really. But I know what it feels like when Kylo Ren uses it.”

“Like Jabba the Hutt is sitting on your head waiting for you to explode.” 

“While a knife stabs into your temple.” Rey shook her head. “I’m sorry this happened to you, Poe.”

Poe released his arm from his blanket, taking Rey’s hand in his own. She seemed startled by the action but didn’t make an effort to retreat. “I’m sorry this happened to you too, Rey.”

A look passed between the two of them; one of understanding, compassion, and sorrow. Rey’s typically kind eyes full of grief, her forehead wrinkled with concern and concentration. Poe had stopped shivering, his breathing coming more evenly, no longer sounding jagged and painful. Without realizing she was doing it, Jess yawned, turning her head away from Poe. 

The corners of his mouth turned up a bit, a sign that he was coming back down to reality. “Sorry I pulled you guys out of bed.” 

Jess shook her head, giving him a reassuring squeeze. “You’re fine. I know that you would do this for me if I needed you to. I love you, kid.”

“I love you too,” he patted her arm, his hands warm and damp from being tangled under the blankets. 

Rey stood up, smoothing the bedspread where she had been sitting, “I should go back to bed, I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” 

Jess removed her arms from Poe, making a move to stand, glancing at her friend to make sure he was alright. “I think I’m gonna go to bed too. You good here?” 

He had relaxed, leaning back against his headboard, the ghosts of a smile on his face, as it usually is. “I’m okay now, I feel grounded again. Thanks you guys.” 

“Actually, I could really use some help finding my bunk again. I’m not quite used to the layout of this place yet.” Rey smiled a bit in Jess’s direction, rubbing the back of her neck. 

“Sure, I’ll get you there.”

The two of them walked to the door, Jess turned before they left. “I’ll leave my com on tonight, okay? So we can talk if you need to. Goodnight, Poe.” 

“Goodnight, Jess.” He waved to her, smiling, before the door slid shut, separating the two friends with a sheet of durasteel. Rey and Jess were swallowed in the darkness of the base hallway,   
the heavy curtain drawn across them once again. Jess could still make out the other girls profile in the darkness, sharp features and strong jaw. 

“Do you know which direction we need to head in?” 

“I came from this way,” Rey pointed to their left, “I’m close to the main hangar.”

They walked in silence for a few moments, listening to the sound of each other’s footsteps. Jess felt much better walking the halls with another person, the darkness not seeming so vast when there’s another body filling the space. She had never quite been afraid of the dark but the possibility of not being alone always gave her goosebumps.   
Rey cleared her throat, her intake of breath letting Jess know that she was about to say something. “It’s really nice, the friendship you and Poe share.” 

Jess smiled to herself, nodding in agreement. “We’ve known each other for a long time. Being here, fighting this war, it pushed us a bit closer. It’s nice to have a bit of home here, even if I’m not necessarily homesick.” 

“I don’t mind not having a bit of home here,” Rey spoke matter-of-factly, no note of sadness in her voice as one would expect. “I quite like having the chance to start over. This reminds me of place I always dreamed of, so green and wet. The air is a bit more humid than I’m used to, but I like it.”

Jess smiled, thinking again of the vast dryness that was Jakku. The air there felt like breathing in sandpaper compared to the lush moisture of D’Qar. “Are you enjoying your time here?”  
Their shoulders brushed together as they walked, Jess’s cheeks burning at the contact. If Rey had felt it, she wasn’t bothered. “I am. I’m enjoying all of it, all of you guys too. You especially,   
Jess.”

The warmth in her cheeks spread to her ears, goosebumps prickling for a reason Jess knew wasn’t for fear of the dark. “Me?” She asked, her voice far meeker than she would prefer. 

“You’re always so nice to me, but you treat me like a person. Sometimes everyone here can get a little…” She drifted off, not finding the correct word.

“Personal?” Jess interjected, knowing how her peers can be. 

“Sure,” Rey nodded, “Not that you and I haven’t had an in depth conversation, you’re just more patient. And you always ask permission or ask me if I’m comfortable… I’m sorry about earlier by the way. When you had BB-8.”

Jess was surprised at the statement, trying to find a way to answer without sounding insincere, “Don’t apologize! Rey, it’s okay to say no to people. You don’t owe anyone anything.” 

“I know, but you were being nice, and I was a bit short. I wanted to speak with you about it, really, but I just… I’m not ready to tell anyone yet.”

Jess snorted in response, hoping her humor came across in the darkness, “I was wounded, but I’m fine, really. Tell me when you’re ready.” She thought she could see Rey smile at her side, the other girl reaching out and gripping her elbow. The touch surprised Jessika, knowing that Rey was hesitant in physicality. 

“This is my bunk. Thank you, Jess. For everything.” Rey looked at her with an intensity that almost made Jess flinch, her eyes swimming with unspoken words. 

“You’re welcome for everything, Rey. Let me know if you want to talk, okay? Consider me a friend.”

Rey smiled at that, nodding. “I’ll see you tomorrow then, friend.” She entered her room without turning around, leaving Jess again in the dark. 

Jess turned to walk back to her own bunk, body buzzing with an energy that she couldn’t quite place. Her mind swirled with too many thoughts, everything trying to process at once. She bounced back and fourth from Poe to Rey, hoping that both of them would be okay, simultaneously trying to juggle her need to protect the two of them with the desire to put an end to the man that caused them suffering. 

Oh, she would personally see to that

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I appreciate you!


	8. Of Old Homes and New

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you notice I finally put a chapter amount in? I spent some time over the last week outlining this story. I have a concrete plan for these guys, which also means I mapped out 15 chapters plus an epilogue! Enjoy this chapter, it made me smile :)

Training the next morning was a trying effort. The sun was high and bright, the shocking orange color representing a strong contrast to the foggy grey energy surrounding the team of starship pilots. Their commander was present, leading training like usual, but his typically confident demeanor had been replaced by something far more stiff, robotic, and dreary. 

“Who let the droid lead training today?” Snap had joked, a last ditch effort to save the mood encompassing them like a thunder cloud. 

Poe seemed to have taken the hint, dismissing them early. After landing their X-wings into the hangar, the team seemed to scatter like ants, clearly glad to be given an early day. The weather outside was nicer than usual, the skies bright, a refreshing wind brushing through the grasses surrounding their home base. Jess was eager to get outside herself, making sure to cast a glance to Poe before she left. 

He and Finn were having a quiet conversation under the wing of his starship, Finn’s arm on his shoulder with what Jess could only assume was a reassuring pressure. Poe’s features were tired, reserved in the way a person gets when they’ve had very little sleep. His eyes were dark with shadow when he caught Jess’s gaze from across the way, the corners of his lips turning into a small smile that Jess knew was unrepresentative of how he really felt. She raised her eyebrows towards him, silently checking in with her friend, wondering if he needed to talk. Poe gave her a thumbs up over Finn’s shoulder, the latter turning around and giving Jess a reassuring nod, as if to say, “I’ve got this one.” 

Worried about her friend, but happy to have some time to herself, Jess headed towards her bunk to change out of her flight suit. Since she had no plans for the rest of the day (the perfect weather was not an unwelcome bonus), she grabbed the neglected x-wing drawings off of her desk and headed out towards her favorite spot on base. 

Facing the northern wing of the building was a hill (the very one Finn and Poe had sled down just days before) that Jess spent a lot of her free time perched on. Sometimes she would bring a book up to the top with her, getting lost in the pages until the sun went to bed and the night air made her shiver. Other times, she’d simply sit and meditate, letting her thoughts wander over every subject she could think of. Today, facing away from the base with her back resting upon a wide tree, she analyzed her new plans for the starships. Their delicate design was near perfect, but Jess found a certain thrill in wondering what would happen if certain elements were tweaked. If the greatest pilots in the galaxy had sharper, fiercer starships, the First Order would never stand a chance. 

She sat there for about 30 minutes, her pencil tracing over the already defined edge of a wing, before she flipped the book over onto a fresh sheet. In her minds eye she saw the treehouse her and Poe had used to call home, the dodgy construction poking out from a thick canvas of green that served as their protection from the outside world. She began to draw, making sure she was capturing the correct scale of the structure versus the tree they had built it in. She quickly realized that she was not a natural artist; she was only well versed in the way an x-wing was shaped because of her hours at the Academy memorizing plans and blue prints, so drawing them was easy.

Jess was busy erasing a rogue line on the page when she heard the click-snap of a branch being stepped on, her body tensing momentarily before she turned around. 

“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.” It was Rey. The young Jedi was wearing clothes Jess had not seen yet on her, all grey and clean, the arm wraps typically found on Rey still present. “Mind if I sit down?”

“Of course.” Jess turned around so that she was facing the base again, the glow of the now afternoon sun casting less shadow over the building than before. Rey sat to her right, leaning against her own tree. 

“The view is quite beautiful up here.” She said, her eyes wondering along the horizon. There was an air of warm comfort in her expression; soft, like coming home. 

Jess nodded, agreeing with her friend. “Who knew that even a military base could be so beautiful, if only from above?”

Rey smiled, turning to look into Jess’s eyes, “I think everything has the potential to be this gorgeous, as long as you’re looking at it from the right perspective.”

“Well, sure,” Jess blushed, the sudden eye contact making her heart flutter. She couldn’t tell whether Rey was flirting or not (or if she even understood what flirting was). “I guess we’re biased, this being our home and all. Did you find Jakku to be beautiful?”

Rey thought for a moment, her tongue poking between her lips just lightly. “Sometimes. More often I found it to feel like jail, but instead of bars I had sand dunes. I spent my time scavenging more than I stopped to look at the view, to be honest.”

“Do you miss it?”

Rey snorted in response, shaking her head. “No, I don’t. I’m quite enjoying myself here. What about you?”

“What about me?” Jess crossed her legs, placing her sketch book on the ground.

“Do you miss your home? You’re not from here, I’m assuming.” 

“Oh, no. I’m from Dandoran. It’s a water planet out in Hutt territory. Quite different from Jakku.” Jess smiled, picturing her home planet in her mind. “My parents still live there.”

“Do you go to see them ever?” Rey tucked the lose strands around her face behind her ears, seemingly eager to discuss someone else’s life instead of her own. 

Jess felt a pang of guilt as she answered, “No, not really. I could, if I wanted to, but I can’t say that my mom and dad love that I’m here. My father runs a fishing business in our town, he does quite well for himself. He and my mom wanted me to stay there with them and take over once they were gone. I had other ideas for myself, clearly.” 

Rey nodded, plucking a piece of grass from the earth below her, “What brings you here?”

“Poe.” Jess smiled, “He’s wanted to join the Resistance for as long as I’ve known him. I had no choice but to follow him here.” 

Rey had begun to braid the grass in front of her, her fingers nimble and careful not to miss a piece. “And you wanted that as well? To be here?”

Jess paused for a moment, considering her answer carefully. “I think so, yeah. Occasionally I wish I had traveled more. There’s a lot of this galaxy to see, more so than I’ll get to experience being with the Resistance. But yeah, I don’t regret being here with Poe.” She turned her head towards the girl next to her, catching Rey’s gaze. “And with you.”

Rey chuckled, smoothing her hand over the earth in front of her, breaking up the pattern she had created. “You’ve only known me for a couple of days.” 

Jess laughed along with her, bumping Rey’s shoulder with her own. “More than a couple of days! It doesn’t matter how long I’ve known you for though, I can tell when I like a person right away.”

“You like me?” Rey asked, her eyes inquisitive. 

Jess flushed, her ears turning pink at the implication of the question. “I mean, yeah. You’re my friend, Rey.” 

Rey nodded, looking down at Jess’s hand resting on the ground before taking it into her own, lacing their fingers together. The action surprised Jess, as she had always thought Rey to be impervious to touch, but she was certainly not going to object. “You’re my friend too, Jess.”

They were quiet for a second before Jess gave Rey’s hand a squeeze, keeping them connected. “Thank you for coming to check on Poe last night. I know he appreciated it.” 

Rey breathed in, nodding her head, her face suddenly solemn. “I know what it feels like. To have nightmares about a danger that is not presently in front of you. Sometimes you just need a friend to bring you back to reality. It helps to distract from the memory if you have a solid person next to you.” She looked up at Jess, her expression sheepish, “To be honest, I’m glad you were there. I don’t know what I could have said to him, I just knew he needed someone.” 

Jess grinned at her, squeezing their still attached hands again. “You would have done just as well. You don’t give yourself enough credit, Rey. You are so valuable. Smart.” She placed a hand under Rey’s chin, guiding the other girl’s eyes to her own. “Kind.” 

Rey was blushing; whether it from her words or her touch, Jess was not sure, but she silently relished in the effect she was having on Rey. If she hadn’t been sure of her feelings for Rey before that moment, the warmth in her chest was as good a confirmation as she needed. Jessika was far gone in regards to the stunning young girl from Jakku. 

A moment past before Rey untangled their clasped hands, bring her arms in to wrap around her knees. She breathed deep and sighed, as if trying to find the correct words. 

Jess looked down at her now empty hand, bringing it back towards herself, running her fingers through her hair. “I’m sorry. Did I say something wrong? I didn’t mean to… To make you uncomfortable.” 

Rey look over at her, eyebrows raised. “No! Oh, no, you didn’t…” She sighed, rubbing a hand over her face, mussing up the little hairs that framed her forehead. Jess fought the urge to reach over and fix them. “I’m leaving, Jess.”

“What? Now?” 

“No, not now,” Rey shook her head, smiling a little, “In a couple days. I’m going on a mission for Leia, to –“

“You’re going to find Luke Skywalker,” Jess interjected, the General’s plan becoming obvious now that she thought about it. 

Rey nodded, her lips tight together. “That’s what I wanted to tell you yesterday, I just hadn’t quite wrapped my head around it yet.” 

Once the map had been successfully delivered to the base, Jess had always just assumed that the General would be going to find her brother herself. She realized now that it made far more sense for Rey to go, since she was both force sensitive and untrained. This would give Rey the opportunity to hone in on her gift but allow the General to stay on D’Qar where she needed to be, until the First Order was under control. 

“When do you leave?”

“A couple days from now. We have some planning to do before we’re confident in the direction we’re going.” 

Jess nodded, the gravity of Rey’s mission pressing upon her. “Are you nervous?”

Rey swallowed, shrugging her shoulders. “Pretty nervous, yeah.”

“Are you excited?” 

Rey laughed, her nervous energy dispersing into the sound. “I’m excited, yes. Worried, anxious, deliriously honored. A lot of emotions, really.” 

Jess reached out towards Rey’s arm, pausing until the girl smiled in consent as Jess closed her hand around Rey’s forearm, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “The General would not trust you with this if she didn’t think you were ready.” 

“I know,” Rey exhaled, grinning. “I can do this.” 

Jess wasn’t positive that Rey was saying that because she believed it, but rather assumed Rey was trying to convince herself that she was right. Either way, all Jess could focus on was how giddy it made her feel that Rey was letting her touch her, and how much she didn’t want to stop. 

The two girls grinned at each other before Jess stood up, wiping grass from her pants, “Come on, let’s go get something to eat before they close the mess to prep for dinner.” She extended a hand out to Rey, to help her stand. 

And oh boy did her smile grow when Rey kept the contact as they walked down the hill towards their shared home. Jess could get used to this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These guys are so cuuuuuuuuute. I die. The story is really going to pick up from here and Luke is going to show up soon (!) so stick around! Next chapter may even show up tomorrow, I've got the day off. Thanks to everyone thats left kudos and comments! You're peaches!


	9. When The Cat's Away, Jess Will Play

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone in space is gay. Got it?This chapter gets a little smutty, just so you know. Enjoy!

Jess had been through so much over the last couple weeks. Rescuing Poe on Jakku, the rendezvous on Takodana, the battle on Star Killer base… Somehow, given all of that, Rey’s departure from D’Qar was by far the worst day the pilot had experienced in recent times. Ever since Rey had told her that she’d be gone for an undisclosed period of time, Jess had begged the General for permission to escort the Falcon to Ahch-To. Naturally, her superior had refused, dismissing Jess before she had even finished explaining herself to the older woman.   
Rey had asked Jess to escort her down to the hangar at least, giving the two of them time to say goodbye. Rey hugged her, allowing Jess to intentionally inhale the sent of her friend; the girl smelled of regulation shampoo, fresh air, and a little bit like engine fuel, as the two of them had spent the morning poking around Jess’s X-wing. Jessika Pava was not a crier but she’d be lying if she claimed she hadn’t wiped away a tear as she turned away to allow Finn some time with Rey. Only Poe had noticed (she hoped) and had wrapped an arm around her, placing a kiss at her temple. “She’ll be back, it’s okay.” He’d whispered, as the two of them watched Finn and Rey have a quiet conversation of their own. Finn seemed to be brushing away some of Rey’s own tears, continuing to be the steadfast source of comfort that Rey deserved. 

That was two weeks ago, and Jess was beginning to feel restless. Presently, she was laying on Poe’s bed, staring at the ceiling as he and Finn sat on the couch watching a holovid about a family of Gungans. The pair of them belly laughing every couple minutes, despite having seen the video many times before. Occasionally one of them would reach over and grab the other’s hand, giving it a quick squeeze before letting go, clearly to prevent Jess from noticing. The first 5 times it happened, she pretended she hadn’t. 

“You can tell me if you guys are boning, you know.” She rolled over onto her stomach, facing them. “I don’t actually care.” 

Finn instantly started laughing, his brilliant smile in direct contrast with the ghost white of Poe’s face next to him. Jess joined in Finn’s laughter as Poe turned the volume down on the projector, clearly taking a moment to gather his words before speaking. 

“Yeah, we’re together,” He rubbed the back of his neck, a smile finally breaking out across his face. “It’s new, but it’s real.” He and Finn shared a glance, their chemistry practically an opaque cloud between them. 

“I’m happy for you guys!” Jess reached behind her, grabbing the pillow behind her. “Why wouldn’t you just tell me right away?” She tossed it towards the two men on the couch, it landing directly between them. 

Finn shrugged, the expression on his face a bit guilty, “Well, we didn’t want to make you feel worse, with Rey leaving and all… It just seemed kind of mean, to be honest.” 

Jess sat up, cocking an eyebrow in their direction. “What does Rey have to do with this?”

Poe laughed, rolling his eyes at her, “Oh come on, Pava. You’ve had the hots for that girl since we introduced you at that party.”

She balked at her friends straightforwardness, “Come on! I’m not that obvious.”

Poe upped the pitch in his voice, batting his eyelashes, “Oh hey Rey, I’m a super hot pilot named Jess, wanna come play in my X-wing?”

Finn cackled, mimicking Poe’s actions, “I sure do Jess, let me tell you all about how cool I think you are while I blink my big brown doe eyes in your direction.”

Jess laughed with them, placing her hands over her face in embarrassment.

“In all seriousness, we didn’t want to make you sad that she wasn’t here so that you guys could also be together,” Finn chuckled, “If you want to be, that is.” 

Jess was blushing but she couldn’t fight the smile from forming on her face. “Yeah, okay. You’re not wrong. But that doesn’t mean you two need to hide from me!”

Poe ran a hand through his hair, still smiling, “We promise not to anymore, as long as you tell Rey how you feel when she comes back from Ahch-To.” 

With a huff, Jess fell back onto the bed again, resting a forearm over her eyes, “Whenever that may be… Had she said anything about me before she left, Finn?”

Her friend immediately started to shake his head, putting his hands up as if in surrender, “Nuh-uh, don’t make me the middle man on this, Jess. You talk to her when she comes back.”

“You’re not going to give me anything to go off of?” Jess whined, pouting in Finn’s direction. 

“He’s not. He’s not gonna give you anything to get off on either.” Poe smirked, wiggling his eyebrows.

Both Jess and Finn made a face at him, Jess shaking her head. “You’re disgusting, Poe.” 

He laughed, hopping up off his seat and jumping onto the bed, squashing Jess’s body beneath his own. “Pava’s got a crush,” he sing-songed, tickling her sides as she squirmed beneath him. 

“Get off me, you oaf,” Jess shrieked through her laughter, fists swinging at Poe’s back in attempt to get him to stop. 

“Only if you promise to tell Rey when she get’s back. Don’t do that sad pining thing you always do when you actually like someone.” 

“Okay, okay! I absolutely promise, Poe, STOP!” She was running out of breath beneath him, his larger form too big for her to overpower. 

Poe stopped tickling her sides, pausing before kissing the tip of her nose, quickly dodging off the side of the bed before Jess inevitably formed a fist and socked him with it. 

“You’re lucky you’re fast, Dameron,” Jess was shaking her head, sitting up and rubbing her sides. 

“Fastest in the galaxy,” he posed, Finn and Jess both rolling their eyes as he did so. 

“You should be nicer to your friends, Poe,” Finn smiled up at him as he sat back down on the couch next to his boyfriend. 

“If I’m friends with this guy because he’s nice to me, well I’ve been lying to myself for years.” Jess stood, slipping her shoes onto her feet. “I’ll see you two moof milkers later, I’m gonna get some fresh air.” 

They waved at her as she left, while Jess made a point not to turn back and witness the makeout session she knew would inevitably occur once she left the room. A smile spread across her face as she thought about how happy her best friend was. Poe had been having difficulty adjusting back into typical routine after Star Killer, but being around Finn seemed to relieve him of the thoughts that clouded his mind. Jess had started leaving her commlink connected to Poe’s overnight in case he were to need her again in the middle of the night. This is something he insisted was unnecessary, but Jess knew better than to take her friend’s word at face value. Between her and Finn, Poe was taken care of at all times. 

The warm wind swirling around the base that evening felt amazing on Jess’s skin as she followed the path outside. Life was relatively slow for the Resistance members at the moment, handing Jess more free time than she was used to, but it was starting to drive her crazy. Combined with Rey’s absence and Poe’s investment in Finn, she was feeling especially restless, attempting to fill her days with activities that normally relaxed her. Even now, under the beautiful orange pink swirl of the sinking sun, Jess found herself wishing that she was sharing the view with someone instead of experiencing it solo. 

A figure rounding the corner up ahead caught her attention, her eyes squinting a bit in the fading light to make out who it was. 

“Hey Pava.” It was Kare, the contrast of her deep skin and yellow hair seeming to glow in the light of the sunset. 

“Hey Kare,” Jess nodded towards her, noticing a bottle in Kare’s hand, it’s contents sloshing from side to side as she walked. “What’re you up to?”

They caught up to each other, standing still. “Snap and I were gonna try and do a bonfire tonight but he seems to have found better plans,” she smiled, holding up the bottle in her hands. “So now I’m by myself, taking this whiskey for a walk. Want to join me?”

Jess chuckled and nodded, deciding that some alcohol actually seemed pretty appealing at that moment. Wordlessly, she took the glass from Kare’s hand, taking a champion sized swig. 

Kare snickered, eyeing Jess up and down as she drank, “I’ll take that a yes then. What’s up, Pava? Life got you down now that Dameron’s distracted?”

Jess swallowed, shuddering as the whiskey buzzed in her throat, a welcome heat spreading throughout her body. “I wouldn’t say that I’m down, just bored.” They started walking again, “Not much to do around here lately, you know?”

Kare nodded, bumping her shoulder with Jess’s. “We always managed to find something to do, didn’t we? What are you up to tonight?” She winked, taking the bottle back from Jess, taking her own sips.

Jess shook her head at Kare’s implications. Admittedly, her and Kare used to hook up quite a bit, the lack of options on base making them each other’s go to when the need presented itself.   
It fit her image, Jess had always told herself; an aloof pilot, uncommitted to any one person but always able to have sex when she wanted. But now… Well she had just admitted to Poe and Finn that she had feelings for Rey and it felt wrong to act on anything physical, even if the two of them weren’t actually together yet. She didn’t even know that Rey had feelings for her at all.   
At the same time, Jess looked over at Kare beside her, all lean muscle and confident swagger, and felt the desire that she had been ignoring for weeks erupt into goosebumps on her skin. She was bored, after all…

She reached around Kare’s torso, grabbing the bottle back from her and taking another healthy gulp. “Alright. If we’re going to do this, I’m going to need some more of this whiskey.” 

“Atta girl,” Kare smirked, one of her fingers tucking itself into Jess’s waistband, the contact sending prickles along her skin. She tugged Jess forward, letting their lips connect, deep and a little sloppy, the sting of alcohol on both of their lips. “My bunk or yours?”

Several minutes later, they stumbled into Jess’s bunk, rogue kisses placed upon lips, necks, and the occasional collar bone. The whiskey was just starting to settle into Jess’s system, spilling into her veins like hot lava. The pair made their way over to the bed, Jess bending forward to toss her flight suit onto the floor, feeling Kare’s hands grab onto her hips as she did so. 

“I missed these hips,” She whispered, leaning down with a well placed nibble on Jess’s earlobe. She turned the dark haired girl around beneath her so they were chest to chest, letting them fall back onto the mattress. 

Jess breathed into their kisses, allowing Kare’s hands to travel up her shirt, “I missed being touched.” 

Kare grinned, but did not answer, instead slipping Jess’s shirt off over her head, taking a moment to remove her own. Jess reached forward and unclasped the girl’s bra, tossing it before cupping her breasts in her hands, rolling Kare’s nipples with her thumbs. Kare’s hands slid down the plane of Jess’s stomach, her fingers once again hooking into the waistband. 

“Take them off,” Jess all but growled, raising her hips from the bed, her pelvis pushing up into Kare’s palms. 

The other girl chuckled, “You’re impatient today.” She unbuttoned Jess’s pants, pulling them down along with her underwear, discarding them onto the floor behind them. 

“Yeah well, it’s been a while.” Jess brought her lips forward, pressing kisses down Kare’s neck, applying a bit more pressure as she moved towards her favorite spot right above her collar bone. 

“You’re telling me,” Kare gasped as Jess bit down lightly, leaning her head back to give the pilot better access. Kare’s hands slid down Jess’s sides, grabbing onto her hips and kneading slightly, moving down to her thigh, closer to where she knew Jess wanted some friction the most. She ghosted her fingers between Jess’s legs, feeling the dampness there, but not giving Jess any of the satisfaction she wanted. 

“Don’t tease me,” Jess warned, tugging gently on the hair at the nape of Kare’s neck. “You know I hate th– ah, shit.” She threw her head back when Kare’s fingers suddenly plunged into her folds, circling her clit exactly the way she liked it. 

“What were you saying?” Kare smirked, applying pressure on just the right spot. Jess shook her head but did not reply, pushing her hips against Kare’s hand to increase the pressure.   
Kare kissed her way down Jess’s body, two fingers dipping into Jess’s entrance, her tongue now applying pressure to where her fingers had been just a moment before. 

Jess let out a tiny squeal at the contact, trying to give into the pleasure completely. Truthfully, her mind was racing, a pang of guilt spreading into a balloon, growing in lateral time to the heat building in her lower half. As amazing as Kare was, as intensely as her body was reacting to her touch, Kare wasn’t who Jess wanted to be touched by. 

Her chest heaving, Jess picked her head up off the bed as best she could, “Kare – ah, oh my god – Kare, wait,” she almost second guessed herself, as she could feel her muscles beginning to wind, just a little further and she would – “Kare stop!” she squealed again, placing her hand over her vagina, forcing her partner to look up at her.

Jess hissed as Kare pulled her hand away, leaving Jess empty. “Are you okay?” Her eyes were confused, but Jess could see genuine concern in them. 

“I’m fine, I just- here, sit next to me.” Jess sat up all the way, letting Kare sit next to her on the bed. “You’re amazing, that was amazing, like it always is. I just… my mind is somewhere else now.” 

Kare smiled at her softly, reaching forward and squeezing Jess’s hand warmly, “Your mind is with a pretty brown eyed Jedi girl on Ahch-To right now.”

Jess nodded, exhaling. “How did you know?”

Kare shrugged, “We can all tell. I’m sorry I even asked you to do this. I guess I’ve always had a bit more than a crush on you, Pava.” 

“I’m sorry, Kare.” 

The fit blonde pilot stood, slipping her bra and shirt on over her head. “Don’t be sorry, Jess. I’m not,” she winked at her, heading over towards the door. “Let me know if you change your mind.”

She was gone before Jess could respond, suddenly finding herself alone again. She rolled over onto her side, glancing at the time on the wall. They still had an hour before suggested lights out, but Jess couldn’t bring herself to do more than crawl under her sheets, resigning to the world for the night. 

She pictured Rey in her mind's eye as she drifted off. Oh, she knew she had it bad for that little Jedi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got nothin'. Thanks for reading!!


	10. She Forced it Out of Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took me forever, sorry! I will say I'm very happy with it though and I think it'll make everyone smile. Enjoy!

Time began to pass on D’Qar like water through a spout. The consistency of the pilots’ days made them all feel the same, one day simply foreshadowing the next. The steady stream of days into weeks, weeks into months, left Jess more restless than she had ever felt before during her time with the Resistance, her mere existence on base no longer enough to keep her satisfied. The ache in her chest, one that was reflected in Finn’s facial expression when he thought no one was looking, reminded her of how strongly she missed a person she really didn’t know all that well.

That longing could be repressed most days, when she was busy fulfilling missions with her team or tinkering with her starship. As night time fell however, after she had spent the evening with her friends playing cards in the lounge, that feeling would bloom back into her consciousness. Sometimes it would happen during the day, when Finn would bring Rey’s name up, or when Jess would take her seat at the top of her hill overlooking the base, but the night sky typically reminded her of how terribly she wished her friend was here. 

Tonight was no different, she knew, as she sat back on the grass, eyes pointed towards the stars. The lights glimmered spectacularly against the stark background of space. Jess had been lost in her own thoughts when she noticed something moving on the horizon, a brief disturbance in the stars. There were no pilots out on missions, that she knew of, but the object in the distance absolutely looked like a starship. The skin on her arms erupted in goosebumps, the crisp air around her a reminder that time had passed and D’Qar’s summer was very much behind them. She squinted her eyes as the object neared her, it’s outline becoming crisp. 

It didn’t take long before her heart dropped to her stomach. A TIE fighter, standard black and looming, descended just slightly to pass over the base, before zooming back out of Jess’s sight. She could only hope that it had left the planet’s atmosphere.

Her legs were carrying her down hill towards the general’s office before she had registered that she was moving. Even if that ship had been traveling alone, it’s presence here still meant danger. The First Order was mobile again and they know where the Rebel base was. They were going to need to act immediately. Jess didn’t assume that she was the only one that had seen the TIE fighter, but she was heading to tell General Organa what she had seen regardless. 

Jess found her superior walking down the hallway, heading in the opposite direction that she had just been. She spun on her heel, rushing to catch up with her, “General! I just saw –.”

“I know what you saw, Miss Pava,” the older woman cut her off, her posture stiff as they continued moving, “I must’ve had a million reports by now. We’ve got to get going.”

“Going?” Jess furrowed her brows. 

“Surely you remember the evacuation procedure you’re all taught when you’re recruited?” General Organa shot a look of impatience out of the corner of her eye. 

“Well yes of course, I do, I was just hoping there was something more I could do to help?” 

The general paused, inhaling as she turned to look at the young girl beside her, “Can I trust you?” Her eyes were searching Jess’s face, a mixture of concern and impatience. 

“Of course ma’am, with anything,” Jessika nodded in earnest. 

“Okay. Walk and talk Pava, let’s go,” she started moving again, a hand resting on Jess’s elbow to guide her. “This isn’t exactly something you’ve been briefed for, don’t make me regret it.   
There’s been a plan for a while now, for my brother to come back to D’Qar with Rey. We didn’t expect the First Order to be back on their feet so quickly and clearly we have underestimated them. I’m going to need you to escort them home, Jessika. They’ll be in the Falcon but I want one of our starships out there for protection. Can you do that for me? I was going to send Dameron but given the circumstances I can’t risk having him away from the base. Are you listening?”

Jess nodded, realizing that the pressure in her chest at Rey’s name had caused her to lose focus. “Yes ma’am, I’m sorry. I can do this.”

The general stopped in front of the command room, the door sliding open before she had even touched the panel. “You’ll be leaving now. Luke will be expecting you, I’ll make sure of that. Two coordinates will be sent to your ship; those for Ahch- To and those for our evacuation base,” The woman reached for Jess’s hand, her eyes suddenly soft as she smiled. “Good luck, Jessika. Say hello to my brother for me.” 

General Organa disappeared behind durasteel, leaving Jess alone in the chaos of her peers as they scrambled around her, focused on their own evacuation procedures. Her heart was positively skipping in her chest but she knew better than to allow herself to lose focus on the task at hand. Muscle memory carried her to the hangar as her mind spat a myriad of ways that she could fuck up her first interaction with Luke Skywalker, someone she held great respect for. She and Poe hadn’t joined the resistance until after he’d gone and therefore had never been able to meet with him, but Jess never expected that their introduction would be under circumstances like this.

~

Jess’s X wing had left D’Qar’s atmosphere without a hitch, the coordinates safely entered before she had even entered the hangar. Snap had sent her off, letting her know that Poe had run off on an errand for the General when Jess had asked if he was around. She had been allowed to take BB-8 as her astromech, an idea that she assumed was Poe’s, to ensure not just her own safety, but that of Rey and Luke’s as they traveled to the Resistance’s new base. 

Currently, she and BB-8 were playing a game of 20 questions, even though the all knowing droid had a more than fair advantage over her human brain. It made time pass nonetheless, as even in hyperspace their trip was going to be a long one. The commlink on her ship was out of range of the rest of her team, leaving her without another human voice to keep her company; the sounds on the ship consisting solely of her own voice and BB-8’s binary buzz. 

Jess leaned back into her pilot’s chair, rolling her eyes at BB-8’s final squeal of victory. It had correctly guessed the species Jess had been thinking of (Twi’lek, after a popular holovid that had just been released on base) and Jess decided that she was very much done playing with the little droid. The display on her control panel alerted her that she was nearing their destination and Ahch-To would be visible in just moments. 

While setting her X-wing up for descent, she also prepared herself. As giddy as she was to be seeing Rey again, the last thing she wanted was to lose the composure she’d been taught to carry herself with and create a scene in front of Luke Skywalker himself. When she was a child, she’d been given a story book of Luke’s adventures. The details of his bravery and talent had filled her mind with excitement and possibility. Until joining the Resistance, Luke’s life had been somewhat of a fairy tale; a far off story of a simple boy being thrust into greatness. The longer Jess spent learning about the Skywalker family, she knew better than to write Luke off as a “simple boy” as he had been born with the gift of the Force, but the wonder and respect she held for her childhood hero never seemed to wear off. 

Ahch-To came into their sights, goosebumps covering her arms under the cover of her flight suit. Rey and Luke were just a moment’s travel away. Jess braced herself for entry to the planet’s atmosphere, smiling softly in response to BB-8’s shrill exclamation of joy; the droid had spent a fair amount of time talking about Rey on the way here (not that Jess minded). The starship shuddered as it crossed the line from space to air, a reaction that Jess felt within her own body, for different reasons. The planet beneath her was a stunning blue, dotted with islands of varying size and elevation. Her commlink flashed on, which she answered with a grin. 

“This is Jessika Pava, Blue Three of Blue Squadron with the Resistance. I’ve been sent by General Organa.”

“I know who sent you, kid,” a voice crackled through her speakers, “My sister sent me every piece of information about you she thought I’d need, not that I’m surprised.” 

Jess felt herself flush, knowing that the voice could only belong to Luke Skywalker. Excitement and disbelief washed over her like cold water. 

“Come on down here, south side of the planet. I’ll have Rey meet you when you land.”

“Yes sir.” She responded, her voice not finding more to say. 

“Call me sir again and I’ll send you back without us,” he chuckled, disconnecting their links, the cockpit falling into silence again. 

Jess did as she was told, piloting around the planet until she discovered a relatively large island, the Millennium Falcon visible from her position in the sky. She entered her final descent, her heart pounding along to the clicks of excitement emitting from BB-8’s speakers behind her. 

With the X wing firmly on the rocky ground next to the legendary Falcon, Jess removed her helmet, pressing the necessary buttons to lower BB-8 to the ground. Hearing the droid spew a greeting at an unseen body, she didn’t need to look over the side of her ship to know that Rey was waiting for her below. 

Leaning over the side of the cockpit, she looked down at the young woman below her. Rey was kneeling to pat a greeting on BB-8’s dome, a smile on her face that knocked the wind straight from Jessika’s lungs. The rungs of her escape ladder barely touched her boots as she descended from the ship, a welcome crunch hitting her ears as her feet finally touched solid ground. 

Rey looked up as Jess turned, her eyes as bright and friendly as her grin. “Welcome to Ahch-To, Testor.”

Jess wasn’t sure which one of them had moved forward first, but soon they were embracing in what should have been a bone crushing hug, but instead felt more at home than Jess had been in months. The scent of sea salt and grass filled her lungs, a mix of the air around her and the scent of Rey’s hair, half of which she was now wearing down across her shoulders. 

“Let me look at you.” Jess pulled back a step, her arms still wrapped around Rey. “You changed your hair.”

“Same jacket,” Rey smiled, reaching up to tug on the collar of Jess’s flight suit.

The movement brought Jess’s gaze to Rey’s exposed upper arm, the muscle there far more pronounced than she had remembered it being months ago. Absent mindedly, her finger traced the indentation there, the tanned skin still soft to the touch. 

After a beat, Rey cleared her throat, making Jess release her grasp on the girl, “Sorry!” Her cheeks flushed what must have been an alarming shade of red, “Those are new too.”  
Rey shook her head, still grinning ear to ear, her eyes on the skin Jess had touched. It was her turn to blush. “There isn’t much to do here besides train, which I suppose is a good thing considering that’s what I’m here for.” She grabbed Jess’s hand, pulling her in the opposite direction as her starship. “C’mon, I’ve got someone for you to meet.”

Jess squeaked at the contact, allowing herself to be directed up a series of rock steps. At the top was a jumbled rock formation, the forefront of which could only have been an entrance draped in cloth, a little ragged but sturdy enough. 

Rey pushed the curtain aside, revealing a warmly lit cavern where Jess assumed would be a much darker space. There were cushions and blankets strewn around on the ground in the center, a fire to her right with a cooking pot rested above it, a Dejarik board to her left with a half played game frozen above it. There was another curtain draped across one section of the back wall, covering the entrance to what Jess guessed was another room.

Her suspicion was confirmed when the fabric moved back, a man a couple inches taller than her entering the larger space. He appeared mildly disheveled, his hair having grown long enough to mingle into his beard, which had also grown out a healthy couple of inches. Beneath all of the extra hair and a mildly furrowed brow were two incredibly crystal blue eyes, their clarity shocking beneath the rest of his appearance. 

“You must be Jessika,” he spoke, a grin crumbling any hopes of a steely exterior. His eyes wandered down to Jess and Rey’s interlocked fingers, the former of which jumped a bit and released Rey’s hand. 

“Yes, sir. Master Skywalker. It’s an incredible honor to meet you.” Jess bowed a bit, unsure of what else to do. 

“Oh, none of that, Luke will do just fine.” He chuckled at her, shooting Rey a knowing glance as the girl smirked and looked down at her shoes. “It’s nice to meet you as well though Jessika,   
Rey has told me an awful lot about you.”

Jess smiled, her insides warming at the thought of Rey talking about her. “Well if we’re dismissing formalities, you can call me Jess. I hope she’s only shared the good things.”

“They’ve certainly all been favorable. I hear you’re quite the pilot?”

She shrugged, nodding, “I’d like to think the General wouldn’t have sent me here if I were just sub-par.” 

Luke laughed, the sound putting Jess at ease in the presence of her hero. “She’s still got you guys calling her ‘General’? Leia hasn’t changed. I called her when you landed, by the way, she knows you made it here.”

“Do we have to leave right away?” Rey piped up, her voice an indicator that she would prefer to not pack up and go immediately. 

“Not if you don’t want to, padawan. Let’s give Jess a chance to rest before we go.” He walked over to the fire, giving it a poke. Sparks danced around him, disappearing before they ignited his heavy robes. “Are you two hungry? Why don’t we eat before we’re stuck in hyperspace overnight.”

“How long do we have?” Rey asked, leaning forward onto her toes a bit. “I’d like to show Jess something.”

The older man and younger woman exchanged a look, silent words traveling from one to the other. It may have been through the force, but Jess suspected that they were simply comfortable enough with each other to communicate without words. 

Luke sighed, resigning to his student. “You win, we’ll leave tomorrow morning as long as you promise not to run into any sea monsters while you’re out.”

Rey cringed, pulling a face. “Okay, but that only happened once…”

“We don’t need to leave immediately? We had a First Order threat when I left, the entire base on D’Qar was deserted. I was sort of under the impression that the General wanted us back sooner rather than later,” Jess noticed Rey’s face fall a bit and made a point to back track, “not that I don’t want to stay here! I would just like to stay on General Organa’s good side whenever   
possible.” 

BB-8 buzzed in agreement, alerting the room that it was also in the room with them.

Luke shook his head, waving a hand in their direction. “Don’t worry about it, kid. The First Order doesn’t know where your rendezvous planet is and there was no sign of an actual attack. The move is strictly precaution.”

Jess opened her mouth to object but Luke cut her off, “Seriously, get out of here before I send you away myself. You can leave the droid with me.” He winked at her, clarifying that he wasn’t upset.

Rey smiled at the two of them before taking Jess’s hand again, leading them outside. Jess gave her fingers a squeeze, thankful to be in her company again after so long. The mere presence of Rey seemed to be reviving her. 

“Where are you taking me?” Jess asked as their feet navigated down the stone steps, back towards the shore line. 

Rey grinned, her eyes wrinkling with excitement. “Back on D’Qar, you showed me your favorite place to be on base. I want to show you my favorite spot on Ahch-To.”

Jess’s heart swelled in her chest (it was doing a lot of work today), letting her shoulder bump into Rey’s. “I’ve missed you a lot.”

The taller girl nodded in response, “I’ve missed you a lot too, Jess.”

They were climbing again, a staircase that seemed to spiral around the island. The sun was just beginning it’s descent into it’s evening position, the light emitting from it beginning to soften. A breeze would occasionally wrap around the two of them, soft and comforting, carrying the scent of the ocean around it. This planet, Jess thought, was actually a very beautiful place to be. 

“Luke seems… incredible,” Jess said, trying to find kind words without sounding like she was gushing. “I’m not sure what I expected but he’s far more relaxed than his sister.”

Rey chuckled, agreeing with her statement. “He’s quite fair. He’s kind, you know, understanding.” She paused for a beat, as if remembering something. “He’s my father.”

Jess blanched, her breath hitching as her eyes widened. “He’s what?”

Rey’s expression was sheepish as she met Jess’ gaze. “He’s my father, Jess. I couldn’t believe it myself. I mean, several months ago I thought the man was a myth but now… Not only is he very real, but I’m related to him.”

“Gosh, Rey, that’s… well that’s insane,” Jess laughed, releasing the breath she had been holding. “No offense, of course.”

Rey joined in her laughter, “None taken, really. It is insane. I mean, me? A Skywalker? I don’t think I exactly live up to the hype there.”

Jess shook her head, tugging at Rey’s hand, “You know that’s not what I meant, right? You’re absolutely a Skywalker. I mean – you’re amazing Rey. You can pilot a starship untrained, you used a lightsaber, you helped take down Star Killer base… You’re empathetic, gentle, self sufficient, strong… Do you want me to keep going?”

Rey giggled, looking down at her feet as they climbed, “No, and I knew what you meant, I just didn’t mind the compliments either.” 

Jess scoffed at the girl, releasing Rey’s hand to cross her arms over her chest in mock irritation. “Hey, not to ruin the moment, but are we almost done climbing these stairs?” 

“We’re almost at the top, I swear. Give me that back,” Rey reached over, taking Jess’s hand back into her own. 

Jess blushed, reveling in how giddy she felt in this moment. They climbed in silence for another few moments, enjoying each other’s company, until they reached a flat stretch of earth and rock overlooking the ocean beneath them. Rey guided them to the edge, sitting down to face the view. 

“Rey this is incredible,” Jess gushed, resting next to her friend.

“Isn’t it? I sit up here a lot, Luke likes for me to meditate at lease once a day and I find that this is the best place to do it.” 

“How’s your training going?” 

Rey paused in thought before answering, “It’s going well, I assume. Very well, if Luke isn’t just humoring me with his words, though he doesn’t seem the type to do so.” She trailed off, toying with a stone in the soil beneath her. “I could be a Jedi, Jess. I real live one.”

Jess smiled at her, “Is that what you want?”

“I think so, but sometimes I wonder what I’d be giving up. My life just started, it seems… and I’m not sure if I want to apply certain rules to myself so soon.”

“Rules? Like what?”

Rey looked up at her, studying Jess’s face. Her eyes traveled down her features, resting upon her lips before moving back up to her cheeks, which flushed, stopping back up at her eyes. The young girl shook her head, sighing into the moment. “Nothing, I guess. Never mind.”

“Rey.” Jess’s voice was soft, but firm. “Don’t shut me out like that.”

“I want to show you something else.” Rey said, her demeanor suddenly timid as she sat up onto her knees. 

“Anything,” Jess pressed, moving her body to mimic Rey’s position. 

“Close your eyes,” Rey instructed, closing her own. “Trust me and relax.”

Jess did as she was told, feeling particularly calm despite having no idea what Rey was about to do. It was a moment before anything happened and Jess was about to say something before she felt it. At the base of her skull, there was a soft tingle spreading into her presence. The feeling was intense but not uncomfortable, a heavy force on her consciousness. 

And that was just it, she thought, the force. Rey was using the force to enter her mind. 

“What are you finding in there?” Jess murmured, breaking the silence. 

“Quit thinking so loudly.” Rey’s voice sounded amused, but her message was clear. Be quiet. 

Jess smirked, trying to relax back into the peace of the moment. She opened one eye, watching the concentration on Rey’s face. Her mouth was frowning softly in concentration as she used her power, a tendril of hair caught softly in the wind around her face. Jess thought that maybe that was the most beautiful she had ever seen her, peaceful and powerful all in the same   
breath. 

“You’re very kind.” Rey smirked, the corner of her lips turning upwards. 

Jess flushed, embarrassed. Right, the girl could hear her internal dialogue. 

They sat quiet again for a while until Jess felt the tingle of Rey’s presence begin to dissipate, the feeling vanishing into the air around her. They opened their eyes at the same time, studying each other. 

Rey’s expression was curious but she kept quiet as if she was trying to process new information. 

“What did you get from that, Jedi?” Jess teased, mildly uneasy at the silence. 

“A couple of things…” Rey bit her bottom lip before bringing her eyes up to meet Jess’s curious gaze. “So, you and Kare?”

Jess felt a pit sink into her stomach at the name, her skin flushing with hot warmth. “Um, sometimes? I mean, we keep each other company occasionally?” She ran a hand across the back of   
her neck, feeling guilty in the interrogation. 

Rey smiled, the tension melting inside of Jess as she did so. “It’s fine, I saw other things.”

“Like what?” Jess replied, mentally going through every memory she could find that may have put Rey off. 

The young girl looked down, blushing, toying with her sleeve. “I saw you tell Finn and Poe that you liked me.” 

Jess’s cheeks burned hotter than she imagined even the blasters on the Death Star being, wondering what the odds were that the planet would open and swallow her right there. 

Rey continued before she could respond, “To be honest, I don’t really know what that means. I didn’t exactly experience love or relationships on Jakku. All I know is that when I see you, my stomach feels a little weird and sometimes my hair stands on end when you brush up against me. When I first met you, you were the only one that treated me like a person instead of a hero.   
You spoke to me with patience and you always asked me for permission before you asked me something personal… or before you’d touch me, to take my hand. I think about you all the time. I wouldn’t consider myself an expert here, but I think that means I like you to.”

Their eyes were locked, Rey’s own full of emotion, practically begging Jess for acceptance. Jess swallowed, anything to suppress hammering of her heart. “Rey, do you mind if I, -“

Rey cut her off, leaning forward onto her hands, still on her knees, the two of them even closer together now. “Why do you always do that? Ask for my permission, I mean.”

“Because I care about you.” Jess whispered, “And I want to protect you from anything that makes you uncomfortable… and I’d never forgive myself if I were to be the cause of your discomfort.” 

The air was quiet around them as they stared at each other, and intensity thick enough to cut with a saber. Rey brought a hand up, brushing a lock of hair behind Jess’s ear. “Okay… Can I kiss you? I’m asking for your permission.”

Jess smiled, a wave of euphoria crashing into her. “You didn’t even need to ask.” 

They moved forward at the same moment, their lips meeting together in a way that felt so genuine, so perfect, that Jess leaned farther into Rey to deepen the kiss instead of pulling away. She allowed herself to reach up, tangling her hand into Rey’s hair, burying herself into the girl in front of her. 

They broke apart a few seconds later, foreheads together. Jess took Rey’s hands into her own and noticed that they were trembling. 

She squeezed them, running her thumbs over the smooth skin. “Are you okay?” 

Rey nodded, swallowing. “Just nervous, is all.” 

Jess pressed a kiss into each of Rey’s hands, thinking of what to say to her. “I don’t want you to ever feel nervous around me again okay? Because of all those things you described, Rey, I feel all of that too. You make me nervous too.” She leaned forward, placing a quick kiss onto Rey’s lips. 

Rey was smiling now, her confidence seeming to return as Jess confirmed all of her feelings. “What now? What does this mean?”

Jess though for a second, moving so that she was next to Rey instead of across from her. “It means that you and I,” she punctuated the point by lacing their fingers together, “are together, if that’s what you want. It means that we take care of each other, that we’re honest with each other. It means that we’re both about to feel a lot less alone.” 

“This is what I want,” Rey nodded, a confirmation not just for Jess, but for herself. “I’m sure of it.”

“It’s what I want too.” Jess smiled a calm happiness spreading into her limbs. 

They sat there like that for a while, the warm sun painting the sky into rich pinks and gold as it began to sink into the horizon. Jess felt something she hadn’t in a while – excitement, purpose, and above all, contentment. The restlessness she had felt in Rey’s absence made sense now, for the beautiful Jedi girl next to her had been what she’d needed the entire time. 

Despite the loom of the First Order, despite the fact that her home on D’Qar had needed to be evacuated, Jess was more at peace with Rey on this foreign planet than she had ever felt on her own. For the first time in her life, Jess was flying without the help of her X wing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh those sweet babies! I had to throw in the "New hair?/ Same jacket" line from TFA because it fit and I loved it. Also, raise your hand if you watched the Oscars and cried at the In Memoriam for Carrie Fisher. I wasn't ready. Anyways, thanks for reading!


	11. Safety in Arms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at me! I'm about to apologize for a delayed update, just like every other fanfic author ever!!!! I am sorry thoug, I just didn't know where to take this chapter. I wrote and deleted this probably 5 times. BUT its super fluffy and I hope you like it!

Poe was going to be so jealous. As much as he was top dog back on base, Jess was the one that got the meet Luke Skywalker first and she was absolutely going to take that advantage. Jess couldn’t help but smile to herself as she let the situation fully settle around her. She and Rey had returned from their perch on the cliff moments before and they were now sitting down to the meal of indescribable mush that Luke had put together for them. They were sitting on blankets on the floor, facing each other in a circle. 

“I know it’s not much,” Luke apologized as he settled next to Rey, “but it’ll keep you from starving.” 

Jess smiled at him, her mouth full of food, “Honestly I’m so hungry I’d eat anything right now. If we can get used to the food on base, we can eat anything.” 

“I’d have thought they would come up with something better by now, no?” The older man’s eyes crinkled as he glanced inquisitively between the two girls. 

“Well if we’re going to complain, nothing was worse than the portions I had to eat on Jakku.” Rey spoke between mouthfuls, her habit of eating as fast as possible a result of life in the desert.

“You never were one for table manners, huh padawan?” 

She shrugged, another spoonful entering her mouth, “No one to teach me I guess.”

Luke looked down for a moment, a tinge of guilt brushing over his features, “I’m sorry, Rey. I’ll never be able to make that time up to you.”

“I know. It was for my safety.” Her voice was just above a whisper but she maintained eye contact with her father, the two of them settling into a silent conversation once again. 

Jess cleared her throat, her eyes dodging from one Skywalker to the other, “Not to ruin the moment, because that’s cool and all but its kind of creepy when you guys do that silent communication thing.”

The spell was broken as Luke and Rey laughed, turning back to their meals. Jess stretched her legs out beneath her, tapping her toes into Rey’s knee across from her, smiling at the girl. Luke noticed the moment, giving them a wink as he chewed his food. 

Jess blushed but grinned back at him, “You’re not going to ask me what my intentions are with your daughter, right?”

Luke chuckled, shaking his head. “I think I missed the boat on all of my fatherly duties, especially that one. I trust Rey enough to make her own decisions.”

“Stop talking about me like I’m not here, you guys,” Rey feigned offense, the corners of her mouth fighting a smile, “I don’t think Jess is the worst I could do, considering.”

Jess scoffed, “Aren’t you supposed to learn manners in Jedi training?”

“We haven’t quite gotten there yet, you’ll have to deal with her as is, I’m afraid.”

Rey was beaming at them despite their words, reveling in the company of two people she cared about. She had never experienced a sense of belonging like she did in the present moment, her life on Jakku void of any form of community. She decided that she liked the feeling very much. 

They finished their meal in peaceful silence, the only sounds coming from the crackle of the low burning fire beside them and the soft crash of the waves outside. Night had fallen around them, a cool breeze occasionally rustling the fabric of the entrance. Jess felt the full weight of her fatigue, after traveling from D’Qar it had been quite a while since she had actually been able to sleep. 

Luke collected their dishes, placing them in a basin by the door. He began to tend to the fire as Rey unfolded a couple blankets, padding the pile in the center of the room.   
“I expect you two will actually get some sleep tonight. We’ve got a long day tomorrow and I’m sure my sister has plans for us the moment we get to Subterrel.”

The new Resistance base was on a mountain planet used for mining until it was abandoned years before, a place far less lush and green than D’Qar. It had been built years ago, as an escape route of the members to relocate to when threatened. Jess was certainly sad to say goodbye to the place that had become her home, but she knew that sacrifices like this were expected of them. No one signs up to join the Resistance to live a comfortable life and Jess was starting to experience that first hand. 

Luke disappeared into the next room after “goodnights” had been passed around. BB-8 had settled into a corner, powering down for the evening. Jess and Rey were alone again, the low heat of the fire warming the air around them as they bundled into the makeshift bed Rey had put together. They laid in silence for a while, facing each other, listening to the distant calls of a bird outside. The moment was impossibly comfortable and Jess was grateful for it. 

Rey brushed a lock of hair out of Jess’s face, letting her hand rest on her cheek, “You must be exhausted.”

Jess turned, kissing the soft skin of Rey’s wrist. “I am, but the trip was certainly worth it.”

The younger girl smiled, the reflection of the dancing flames apparent in her eyes. “It’s nice to have you here. I almost wish we didn’t have to go back.”

“If only life were a little simpler, right?” Jess closed her eyes, sighing. “Don’t tell anyone I said this… but sometimes I wish we were free from all of this. Poe and I… You and Finn too, now. Sometimes I wonder what we would all be doing if we weren’t a part of this fight.” 

When she opened her eyes, Rey was closer to her. They fluttered closed again when their lips pressed together, Rey showing her comfort without words. 

“Maybe someday we can accomplish that,” she said, pressing their bodies together. “I’m not really tied to one place, as a Jedi. You don’t have to be a pilot forever, if you don’t want to be.”

“It’s all I know.” Jess whispered pointedly. “Poe would never forgive me.”

“Did you become a pilot for Poe, or for yourself?” Rey asked, her voice cautious at the weight of the question. 

“I’m not really sure anymore. I love being a pilot, I do. Maybe I just want to see more of the galaxy without the restriction of a mission.”

“Poe wouldn’t understand that?”

Jess searched Rey’s face, a surge of appreciation coming over her, mixed with the giddy jitters of a new relationship. “We’ve talked about joining the Resistance since we were teenagers. This was always our plan. He’d feel like I was betraying him.”

She leaned forward, resting her head on Rey’s chest. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore. I feel guilty.”

Rey nodded, placing a kiss to the top of Jess’s head. “Let’s just sleep, okay? We can talk about this another time.”

Jess did not use her voice to answer, instead she settled closer into Rey, letting her body relax into the blanket beneath them. It wasn’t long before their breathing had slowed, two rhythms matching in tempo. The space around them was profoundly peaceful as the two women slept, both of them the safest they had been in years, both finally belonging to another. 

 

~

 

The flight back to the Resistance’s new base felt like seconds compared to the journey to Ahch-To, as the anticipation of seeing Rey no longer weighed on Jess’s shoulders. They spent the time chatting back and forth through their commlinks (Luke only interrupted with jokes every now and again) and sharing stories that had happened in their time apart. BB-8 chirped through occasionally too and Jess pretended that she didn’t practically die every time Rey cooed with endearment back at the little droid. 

Subterrel came into view before they knew it, a welcome sight to their tired eyes. All Jess was looking forward to was a shower and her new bunk assignment (and maybe spending another night sleeping next to Rey, in a real bed this time). 

“Welcome home, Jedis,” Jess said through her comm, smiling to herself. 

Luke’s voice came through, gruff but amused, “Rey is still a padawan, technically.” 

“Couldn’t I say the same to you, Master Skywalker?” Rey addressed him formally, her tone mocking the older man. 

“I guess that’s fair,” he chuckled, and Jess could practically see him shaking his head at his daughter’s comment. 

They pulled into the base’s hangar, a crowd of people already visible as Jess landed safely, the Millennium Falcon just a second behind her. She climbed down her ladder, tossing her helmet   
down to Poe as he approached her. 

“Welcome back, Testor,” Poe hugged her, familiar and safe. “Please tell me you and Rey got together? I’ll owe Snap like 50 credits.” 

Jess laughed as she tightened their embrace, leaning into his ear, “Yeah, we’re together. Tell Snap I get half of your earnings since this is my relationship that we’re talking about.” 

“Wait really?” Poe exclaimed, spinning his best friend around, his smile radiant. “I’m so happy for you guys!” 

A cheer from behind them meant that Rey had just told Finn the news too. “We can double date now!” Finn cheered, dragging Rey over to Jess and Poe. He tackled Jess into a hug, turning his head towards his boyfriend. “This is the best!” 

Jess locked eyes with Rey over Finn’s shoulder and smiled, a flush of red spreading over her girlfriend’s cheeks. Finn released her, grabbing Poe’s hand next to him. Jess mimicked his action, lacing Rey’s fingers with her own. 

“You kids want a tour of the new base? It’s not much, but it’s home now.” Poe turned them towards the hallway. Leia waved at the group of them from where she was standing talking to Luke, the two of them already spending time catching up. The older woman waved them off, as if to say, “we’ll talk later”. Circumstances had kept them all apart for so long already, and business could wait until tomorrow. 

“Where are our beds?” Rey asked as the entered the hallway, darker than that of D’Qar, glowing green lights built into the walls of the stone. 

Her three companions exchanged a glance, taking the comment differently than Rey had intended. The violent red color that her face become made all of them laugh as she scrambled to defend herself. 

“You’re all awful. I just meant that I’m tired, it’s been a long trip.” Rey said shyly as Jess kissed her on the cheek. 

“I wouldn’t mind if you meant it the other way though,” Jess whispered, winking up at her. 

Rey was once again blushing as the boys led them down another hallway, this one lined with doors on both sides. The walls of this base were all grey and stone, their steps giving off an impressive echo. The lack of bright light and traditional building materials reminded Jess a bit of the casinos she had seen on holovids from a long time ago. 

“These are all the pilot’s bunks, since we’re so close to the hangar,” Poe called over his shoulder as he lead them deeper into the center of the base. “I’m not quite sure where your bunk is Rey, but I’m assuming its close to Finn’s over by the infirmary.” 

“I can’t stay with Jess in her room?” Rey asked, her head tilting at the supposed distance between their bunks. 

Poe chuckled, rubbing the back of his head, “I mean, stay wherever you girls want, but I’m not explaining anything to the General about why your perfectly nice, and I should mention, private, bunk is going unused.” 

He stopped a few steps ahead of them in front of a steel door, punching numbers into the pad outside to grant him access. “This is my room,” he turned and pointed to the door across the hall, “and that’s you, Pava. Code is the same as on D’Qar.” 

He pulled Finn into the room ahead of him, catching the taller man by surprise. “We’ll see you two at dinner, I guess.” Finn laughed as Poe began kissing down his neck, barely allowing the door to close behind them. 

Rey and Jess found themselves alone in the hallway in newfound silence. Jess turned towards the keypad, looking up at Rey, who had fallen uncharacteristically quiet. “Do you want to come in? What’s the matter?”

The door slid open, revealing a simple bed, dresser, and desk, only slightly smaller than her room on D’Qar. Jess grabbed Rey’s hand and pulled her through the doorway, rubbing a thumb across her knuckles. 

Rey looked up at the ceiling, sitting onto Jess’s bed with a soft sigh, “We don’t have to, uh, move as fast as those guys right?”

Jess softened, settling next to Rey. “Of course we don’t. I would never do anything without your permission, or before you were ready. You know that, right?”

Rey nodded, a timid smile across her lips. “I’ve just never done this before. Or.. well, that.” She exaggerated the last word, hoping Jess would understand what she meant without having to explicitly say it. “I mean, I want to! Eventually.” 

Jess smiled at her girlfriend, brushing a lock of stray hair behind her ear. “Rey. My sweet, beautiful Rey. We will do whatever you are comfortable with, whenever you want. And it will be amazing.” She punctuated the statement with a kiss to Rey’s shoulder. “Because you’re amazing. Okay?”

Rey nodded, smiling. “Why are you so good to me?”

Jess sighed, her feelings for the girl in front of her filling her to the brim. “Because you deserve it.”

Rey closed the distance between them, bringing their lips together. The kiss was deep, passionate even, but held more love and care than Rey had felt in her entire life. It made Jess weak in the knees. 

“Can we get some sleep? Before dinner?” Rey asked, her brown eyes locked on Jess’s. 

“Of course. Come here.” Jess shifted in the bed so that her head was on the pillow, pulling Rey over to lay on her chest. “Comfortable?”

“With you? Always.” 

The two of them fell asleep like that, secure in their new home, beneath stone walls to protect them from enemy attack. If you asked Jessika, in that moment, the idea of someone doing anything to harm Rey seemed impossible, for she was so in love with the girl she couldn’t imagine anyone feeling harshly towards her. Beneath the stone and entwined in Jess’s embrace, Rey was safe from it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See??? Fluffy. The next chapter is going to have a lot in it though, so buckle your seatbelts. Thanks so much for not forgetting about this story and for reading! You're the best!


	12. Fighting Words and Tender Touch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get ready for some smut. If you were about to read this at work... maybe don't!

The weather on their new home planet was shockingly chilly in comparison to the warm weather they had left on D’Qar. This fact hit her particularly hard as she walked into the open space of the hangar, shrugging a little deeper into the jacket of her flight suit. She was on the hunt for Poe, as he had been notably absent from their post training lunch. Snap waved her over from where he was standing with Kare and Oddy, the latter of the two fiddling with their X-wing in frustration. 

“Hey guys, have you seen Poe? I grabbed him some food but he’s not in his bunk, I figured he’d be in the office.” Jess brushed hair from her eyes as a burst of wind flipped through the large room. 

Kare handed Oddy a wrench, wiping the dust onto her pants, “Yeah I’m pretty sure he’s in there, we didn’t pass him in the halls on the way here.” 

“Cool, thanks.” Jess leaned over, trying to get a look at what her squadron mate was working on. “What are you doing, Oddy?”

“My accelerator kept catching during training this morning. I can’t quite figure out why.” He grunted, loosening one of the bolts. “Any ideas?” 

Jess frowned, thinking. “I’d have to take a look at it. Actually, do you want me to have Rey come down here when she gets a chance? She’s good with this stuff.” 

“Yeah that would be great, actually. She’ll have a more creative solution than I will.” 

Jess stood, patting the side of the starship, “In the meantime, I’ll go feed our fearless leader.” 

She knocked on the door to Poe’s little office before she entered but didn’t wait for a reply as she opened the door. Poe smiled as she walked in, looking up from the datapad that he was entering this morning’s stats into. 

“Testor! What’s up?” 

Jess walked around his desk, setting the food down and hugging him over his shoulders. “I brought you some food from the mess, figured you’d be hungry since you skipped lunch.”

Poe kissed the side of her head as he reached forward, grabbing a piece of bread from the bag, “You figured correctly, thank you. Wanna hang out for a second? I’m almost done here.” 

“Sounds good to me!” Jess plopped into the only other chair in the room, resting her feet on the desk. BB-8 rolled over to greet her, a soft beep emitting from their speakers. 

They sat in comfortable silence for a couple minutes as Poe typed, being alone in each other’s presence for the first time in a while. The last few weeks had been eventful, to say the least. The Resistance had been on their new planet for exactly 15 days now and every single one of them had been spent trying to discover any new information on the status of the First Order. Everyone was a bit on edge, for the less they knew about their enemies, the more of a threat they remained. It also didn’t help moral much for the General and her brother to be as aloof as they were, consistently together and whispering, obviously sharing secrets the rest of them couldn’t be in on. Jess had attempted to get details out of Rey, but even she, despite being so close to Luke, had no more information than the rest of them. 

“What are you thinking about?” Poe pulled her out of her thoughts, hitting her squarely in the forehead with a blueberry. 

Jess laughed, picking the fruit up off of her lap and eating it. “A little bit of everything and nothing at the same time I guess. Wish we had more of a concrete idea as to where the First Order has been hiding out.” 

“That makes two of us,” Poe sighed, “Not much we can do for now but wait and prepare I suppose.” 

“Doesn’t this make you feel restless though? This waiting game?” 

Poe pondered the question for a moment, feeling the stubble in his chin, “I guess not. I know my job is to prepare all of us for the worst, so I figure I can sit around waiting for the actual worst to happen, or I can put my all into preparing for it. We’ve got training to do, mods to make on the starships, reports to write up for the General. No time to feel restless, I guess. Not when I’m supporting the cause that I love.” 

Jess all but rolled her eyes at this, understanding that, in this room, Poe was not just her best friend, but her commander. “You’re insufferable and I knew you’d say something like that.”   
“You shouldn’t have asked the question if you didn’t want the answer.” The tone of his typical good nature was absent in his voice. “You’ve talked a lot about feeling restless lately, what gives?”

It was Jess’s turn to ponder before she answered. She tried to choose her words carefully, deciding that offending him would not help get the point across. “Honestly? I’ve been thinking about what we’ve done here, and what this life means. It scares me, Poe. To know that something could happen to you, to Finn… to Rey.” She closed her eyes at the last name, trying not to picture anything. “I want to travel to more planets, maybe be more involved in scouting the Outer Rim planets, but-“

“But you don’t see yourself here anymore.” Poe interjected, his tone clipped. 

“You know I love the Resistance and the work we do here, I just can’t help but feel like we’re all sitting ducks. Maybe I could do something that’s less… Military.” 

Poe was quiet for a moment after she finished speaking, his head down in contemplation. For all of the things Jess thought he would say about this, silence was somehow worse. 

“Poe?”

He looked up at her finally, a fire in his eyes that Jess only saw when someone had really screwed up. “This is what we’ve worked on, trained for, for years, Jess. You and I, side by side. I put in a good word for you at the Academy, I made sure there was a spot for you here with the Resistance. You’re telling me you didn’t want any of this? Did I waste my time on you?”   
His final sentence struck a chord in Jess, angering her just as much as it hurt her feelings. “You’re taking this the wrong way! I don’t want to leave the Resistance, I just don’t want to be on the front lines. I don’t want to sit here, waiting for something to happen. I want to be out there, to see things.” 

“You’d walk away from me like that? To what- have an adventure? By all means, Jess, give up your prestigious position on Black squadron to go frolic on Naboo with your girlfriend.”

“Don’t bring Rey into this, I never even mentioned her.” Jess felt her fists clench at her sides. He was pushing all of the right buttons and he knew it. 

“She’s the one that started this, no? Even before you were together, your head has been off in the clouds since you met her. This squadron, this LIFE, Jess, is as good as it’s going to get for you. What’s your alternative? Go live with your parents again? You could be a fisherman, just like your dad always wanted. That’s rich.” Poe rolled his eyes, sitting up a bit straighter in his chair. 

Jess was beginning to see red, hurt and anger combatting in her mind as she concocted a response. “First of all, how dare you bring up my parents. They were never anything but great to you. Did I want their life? No, but that doesn’t make them any less than us.” She stood, the adrenaline of the argument becoming too much to take sitting down. “Second of all, you are my best friend. You’re supposed to support my decisions, whether or not they’re in line with your own. You’re not allowed to get pissed just because I’ve decided to stop following you to the ends of the earth.”

Poe stood behind his desk, leaning towards her, fist on the hard surface, “You’re a fucking fool if you think I would blindly support you through making a mistake like leaving the Resistance. I won’t stop you, Jessika, but don’t be surprised if you never hear from me ever again. We would be done, do you understand?” 

He had practically spat the last few words at her, the finality of the statement hitting her like a punch to the gut. Jess turned to leave, spitting back a few words of her own, “I understand perfectly. This conversation painted a real nice picture of what our friendship really was, Poe. Fuck you. I’m better off without you, if this is how it’s going to be.”

She slammed the door behind her, not waiting for a retort. Looking out into the hangar, she realized that they had had an audience. Snap reached out a hand towards Jess, as if to comfort her, but she turned and walked swiftly away. Jess could feel the eyes of everyone in the room on her while she fled. As tears burned her eyes, all she wanted to do was escape to her bunk, or to Rey, if she was around. 

The walk to her bunk was blissfully short, she thanked the General for planning that as she typed her code into the door. It could not have slid open fast enough, as Jess let her tears fall now that she was in the privacy of her own room. Her head was practically spinning as she laid on her bed, thinking of the words that she’d exchanged with Poe. 

Seconds later, as if she had known, Rey was entering the room, arms full of spare parts and wires. “Hey!” She put the junk on the table by the door before she looked up at Jess and realized she was crying. “Oh, hey. Jess.” Rey walked over to the bed, curling herself around Jess as if she could physically protect her from what was making her sad. 

Jess leaned into her girlfriend, relaxing her body into the other girl as if her life depended on it. Rey allowed her to simply cry like that for a while, the only sounds in the room were Jess’s sniffles and Rey’s occasional murmurs of support. After a while, Rey spoke up. 

“Jess,” She lifted her girlfriend’s head, wiping the tears from her cheeks, “Jess, why are you crying?” 

Jess launched into an explanation of the argument, only getting slightly riled up again by thinking about the way Poe spoke down to her. Rey listened attentively, smoothing Jess’s hair back away from her face. 

“I guess the worst part about it, is that I never expected him to be so angry,” Jess hiccupped, trying to calm herself down. “We don’t fight like this, ever. It makes me wish I’d never said anything at all.” 

Rey tutted, kissing Jess on the cheek to comfort her. “You know very well that you would have had the conversation eventually. This is something you and I have talked about quite a few times now.” 

Jess nodded, “It would have been nice if he’d taken it better.” 

“I mean, sure. But now you’ve said your piece and it’s up to him to respect you,” Rey kissed Jess’s shoulder, “Or to let you go. And if he chooses the latter, well then he is a very stupid man.” 

Jess was quiet, letting Rey’s words settle over her. She knew her girlfriend was right, but she still felt burned. “Why did he react this way?” She whispered, childlike. 

Rey shrugged, “You hurt his feelings, Jess.”

Jess looked up at her, an eyebrow raised. “You think so?”

“I mean, I don’t know him as well as you, but I can only imagine what it feels like to have Jess Pava tell you that she wants a life that no longer includes you.” 

“That’s not what I said though, not really.”

“I know that, but in so many words. He probably feels like he’s losing you, so he lashed out in hopes that you’d change your mind.” 

Jess sighed, “He hurt my feelings too.”

Rey smiled, bumping her nose with Jess’s. “You two are quite the pair then, huh?”

Jess sighed for a second time, closing the gap between the two of them to press their lips together. Rey melted into the kiss, tangling her fingers into the hair at the nape of Jess’s neck. 

They pulled away after a moment, only when breathing became all too necessary. 

“Do you feel any better?” Rey whispered, kissing Jess’s jawline, working her way down her neck. 

Jess smiled, tilting her head back to give Rey better access. “Mm. If you keep doing that I will.” 

Rey chuckled, moving in to bite softly at the sensitive spot that Jess liked best. Jess leaned back on the bed, pulling Rey down with her, letting her hands roam Rey’s sides. 

“Are you sure you’re in the mood for this?” Rey questioned, looking down at her girlfriend. 

It was Jess’s turn to capture Rey’s sensitive spot, smiling as she did it. “Let’s call it a welcome distraction.” 

Rey laughed, catching Jess’s lips into a kiss that got more heated as the seconds ticked on. Jess let herself get lost in Rey’s mouth, inhaling the scent of her as she did so. Never in her life did she think the smell of shampoo and engine fuel would turn her on like this. Rey’s hands began to travel to Jess’s chest, cupping her over the sport’s bra she’d been wearing all day. 

“Want me to take that off?” Jess joked, figuring she would get a surprised blush out of her girlfriend. 

Rey paused for a moment, dipping her hands under the fabric to make better contact with Jess’s skin, “Actually, yes.” 

Jess sat up with surprise, “Wait, really? I didn’t think you were ready? I was kind of joking when I asked, please don’t do this because you want me to feel better or because you think you should or-“

Rey pressed a finger to Jess’s lips, and Jess realized she had been rambling. “I’m sure. Really.”

Jess kissed the finger being held to her mouth, taking Rey’s hand in her own. “Okay, switch places with me.” She made a move to remove her top, but Rey stopped her, grabbing the fabric in her own hands instead. 

“Will you let me? Please?” Rey’s eyes were wide with curiosity but soft with the compassion she held for the woman in front of her. 

Jess could only nod, her affection catching in her throat, and the weight of what they were about to do making her a bit nervous. Jess had had sex plenty of times in her life, both with people that meant something to her and people that meant nothing. This was Rey’s first time and she wanted to make sure she would be on Rey’s list of people that meant something. 

Jess sat up straight to better allow Rey to remove her top, goosebumps prickling her skin as it became exposed to the cool air. “Do you want to take your shirt off too? You can wait, if you’d rather.” 

Rey blushed as she thought about her answer, but ultimately nodded. Jess leaned forward, pulling the fabric over Rey’s head, letting her fingers linger where they made contact with skin.   
Rey’s arms moved to cover herself, as if subconsciously, but Jess placed a hand on her forearm to stop her. “Can I see you? Please?”

Rey was still blushing, smiling bashfully, “Okay. There’s not much to look at, I’m afraid.” 

Jess heart lurched in her chest as she thought of Rey, of how many years of her life she’d lived without someone telling her that she was beautiful. Jess leaned forward, pushing Rey to lie on her back, kissing her deeply as they moved. “You know you are so impossibly gorgeous, right? Somehow this universe put you in a position where no one was around to tell you that, but allow me to make up for lost time. You are so beautiful, Rey.” 

Rey did not blush this time, but pulled Jess into a heart stopping kiss, her hands kneading into Jess’s flesh like her life depended on it. She placed her hands on Jess’s now naked breasts, experiencing the soft skin for the first time. The contact made Jess whimper into their kiss, causing Rey to break away. 

“Is that okay?”

Jess chuckled, “Noises are okay.” She leaned down taking Rey’s nipple into her mouth and suckled softly, earning a gasp from her. 

“Yeah,” Rey breathed, “I guess noises mean something’s going right.” 

Jess full on laughed, giving her attention to the other breast, her hands idly feeling down Rey’s body. She trailed a finger down her stomach, feeling Rey’s muscles twitch as she glided along   
the waistband of her pants. Jess did it again, this time scooping a finger under the fabric, feeling a little more of Rey than she had ever before. 

“What about these?” Jess asked, “Can these come off too?” They had made out before, her and Rey, but this was far more intimate than they had gotten yet, and she’d be damned if she backed Rey into a situation she didn’t want to be in. 

“Um, yeah. Yes.” Rey nodded, her face a beaming shade of scarlet. 

Jess smiled up at her, putting their lips together before she pulled Rey’s bottoms off, sliding her underpants past her ankles and flicking them off into a corner of the room. It earned a chuckle from Rey, and Jess hoped it helped her relax. 

The sight of her girlfriend stark naked in front of her, really did Jess in. “How did I get so lucky?” 

Rey reached up, kissing Jess with an intensity she only came to recognize as purely Rey’s own. “No, how did I? Thank you for being so good to me.”

Jess smiled mischievously, pushing Rey down onto the mattress, “Don’t thank me just yet.”

She worked a pattern of kisses down Rey’s body, adding little bites here and there for good measure. The little sounds coming from Rey’s mouth let Jess know that she was on the right track. As she got closer to Rey’s lips, she felt her girlfriend tense up, if only slightly. 

Jess looked up Rey’s body, catching her eyes. “Rey, if you’re not ready for this, please tell me. If at anytime you want me to stop, you tell me.”

Rey only smiled, shaking her head. “Good thing I don’t want you to stop.” 

Jess smiled, kissing the girl’s inner thigh. She kissed down and around her actual destination, before using one finger to separate Rey’s folds, placing a quick, chaste kiss to her clit. The push of Rey’s hip was as good a confirmation to keep going as any, and this time Jess took a long, slow stoke with her tongue, letting Rey get accustomed to the sensation. 

Jess swirled her tongue around softly for a while, listening to Rey’s sounds, especially the way her breath hitched every time Jess hit a certain spot. Placing a hand on Rey’s pelvis to give her better access, Jess suckled on Rey’s clit, applying more intense pressure than before. 

Rey called out, clasping a hand over her mouth as Jess giggled. “How are you doing up there?”

Rey smiled, her breathing uneven, “Oh, never better.” 

Feeling confident, Jess freed up one hand and pushed a finger into Rey, softly and slowly. The other girl tensed up immediately, drawing her hips away from Jess, who noticed and pulled away. 

“Too much?” She asked, cautiously. 

Rey nodded, trying to steady her breathing, “Just keep doing the other thing, I liked that.” 

Jess was happy to oblige, applying pressure with her tongue where she knew Rey would want it. It was only moments later that she noticed Rey’s breathing going shallow, her thighs tightening around Jess’s head a bit more. Jess reached up and grabbed Rey’s hand, simultaneously closing her lips around Rey’s clit, knowing it would send her over the edge. 

And it did. Rey came with a yelp, squeezing Jess’s hand until she swears she felt the bones realign. Her breathing stopped, and Jess could count the seconds until it started again, her girl coming back down to the present. Rey was still for a second, her breathing heavy as Jess climbed up her body to lie next to her on the pillow. 

Jess brushed a stray lock of Rey’s hair behind her ear, “Hi.” 

Rey turned to look at her, a smile spreading across her face. “Hi.”

“How do you feel?”

“I can’t think of a word other than amazing.” 

Jess kissed her, slow and languid, taking their time. “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself, because I certainly enjoyed myself.”

Rey looked at her for a moment, studying her girlfriend’s features. “It’s your turn. I want to make you feel good too.”

Jess smiled down at Rey, her ever thoughtful partner, and shook her head. “Maybe not today, another time.”

Rey’s face fell, as if Jess had hurt her feelings. “Why not?”

Jess chuckled, kissing her on the cheek, “Because it’s only 3 o’clock, because I have some work to do, and because I promised Oddy that you would go and help him with his x-wing at some point today.”

Rey groaned, knowing Jess was right, but certainly regretting that it wasn’t already time for lights out. 

“Later,” Jess whispered into Rey’s ear, earning a shudder that made Rey blush. 

“Promise?” Rey pouted, sitting up as Jess did, reaching for her shirt on the floor. 

Jess kissed her hard as she moved to stand, pressing Rey’s own top into her lap, “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, I love these guys. Also i love everyone for reading and commenting, you're the best.


	13. Waging Wars

"Uh, Testor? If you keep scrubbing that hard, your knuckles might start bleeding.” Snap gave her a look as he walked by, tossing his water filled canteen in her direction. “Maybe it’s time for a quick break.”

Jess caught the canteen, a scowl on her face, but thankful for the offer. She had scrubbed the engine of her X Wing two, maybe even three times by this point in the morning, but the repetition of cloth to steel felt too therapeutic to stop. Leaning back against the side of her starship, she took a swig of water, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand. The argument she’d had with Poe the day prior kept forcing itself to the forefront of her mind and it was putting her in an incredibly fowl mood. 

“Wanna talk about it?” Snap was standing by his own ship, taking their day off to perform any tune ups it might need. 

“Not particularly,” Jess scoffed, turning her back to him, getting back to work. 

He let the conversation drop, for which she was thankful. The only person she really wanted to talk to was Poe, but given the circumstances, that was off the table. Even Rey was going to be unavailable for the day, as Luke had pulled her off this morning for some vague discussion that Jess wasn’t allowed to hear about. 

They worked side by side in busy silence for a while, the only two pilots in the hangar. Jess’s mind had finally wandered to more pleasant things when something started to feel off again, a sudden nag of anxiety taking over her. The air pricked her skin as she looked around, trying to find some immediate sign of danger. There was a metallic, sickly scent to the air, like her mom used to tell her to look for in case of lightening. 

“Snap?”

“Mm?”

“Do you feel that?” Jess questioned, but the words had barely left her mouth before there was a flash of angry red light, and the world exploded around her. 

She came to her senses on the ground, still in a daze but alert enough to look around. The wing of her starship, now toppled onto it’s side, was pinning her down. The ringing in her ears distracted her from the violent sound of the alarm overhead, the clash of the two sounds overwhelming her. Jess started to tremble as the situation became more apparent. Back at the Academy, they were instructed to make three observations in emergency situations to help steady themselves. She did so now, because if her hands shook any harder, she feared they might take flight. 

One: something had exploded in the hangar, sending the first few rows of ships flying inward and barricading the exit. The entire room was coated with dust and debris. 

Two: Her right arm was twisted unnaturally beneath her, the pain burning more intensely if she focused on it. No other signs of broken bones. There was shrapnel lodged into most of the left   
side of her body, a sickly constellation of blood and debris. 

Three: She could barely make out Snap’s form over the wing in front of her. He was not moving. 

The last observation sent a shockwave through her system. Snap had been at least 100 feet from her, but he was too close now, the blast too strong. Jess tried to free herself from the spot, to flee the situation, but the smallest amount of pressure on her arm threatened another blackout. 

Footsteps poured into the hangar suddenly, voices shouted both concern and instruction over the panicked alarm. Jess tried to yell out for them but her voice came as nothing but a croak.   
Men and women in Resistance uniforms ran by, some in the same pilots uniform as her own, others she recognized as members of the medical team. 

Finally, there was a presence behind her, steady hands on her shoulder as not to startle her. 

“Are you okay?” The speaker’s voice was not one that Jess recognized, but their accent resembled Rey’s, and it steadied her a bit. 

Jess shook her head in response. No, she was very much not okay. 

“Can you tell me your name?” The woman clicked on a flashlight, assessing the wounds on Jess’ left side, making a tutting noise as she noticed the strange angle of her arm on the right.

“My name is Jess,” she choked out, wincing at the effort. 

“You’re going to be okay, Jess. We’ll get you down to medical, they’ll take care of you.” 

In any other circumstance, Jess would have fought, would have remembered that the pilots all had emergency protocol to follow. But as the woman and two other people went to move her, she saw Snap again, saw the grim expression on the man standing above him. Between that, and the searing pain, she slipped into blissful unconsciousness. 

 

~

 

A dull, constant beeping brought her back into the present. For a sweet moment, Jess forgot where she was, hoping maybe the pain she felt was just the result of a night drinking too much whiskey. Unfortunately, the medical Droid at her bedside dabbing bacta fluid onto her cuts reminded her that she was having anything but fun right now. Safe in a hospital bed, her mind began to sprint, thinking about everyone else on base. Where is Poe? Had he been anywhere near the hangar during the explosion? How long had she been out? We’re there more explosions than that one? 

And Rey. Is she still here? Had she left with Luke already? The thought of Rey in any form of danger created a tightness in her chest. The beeps coming from her machine began to speed up with her heart rate, alarming the Droid next to her. 

“It’s okay,” Jess insisted. “I just want to know what’s going on.” 

She pushed her head back into the pillow, squeezing her eyes shut as a few tears slipped by. She was frustrated, scared, and for the first time in a while, alone.   
The door to the med wing slid open, a group of doctors talking wildly amongst each other, rushing in to do their jobs. Behind them, was Finn, a blaster in hand, eyes wild. 

“Finn?” Jess called, grabbing his attention. “Finn come over here!”

He ran over to her, his breathing heavy. “Jess, you’re okay?” 

“Where’s Poe?” She ignored Finns concern for her own safety, asking her own questions. “What the hell is going on?”

“He’s with the General, he’s fine. It was a First Order attack. They’ve barricaded us in, the hangar is blocked. There are stormtroopers everywhere, all essential personnel is in the control   
room.”

“Why are you here?” 

“To make sure you’re okay. Or at least, okay as a person can be, considering …” He trailed off, taking her hand into his own. 

“Where are you going now?” 

“Back into the thick of it. All we can do now is defend. All our ships are grounded, not much chance of an offense team.”

“Can I go with you?” Jess asked, her eyes wide. If this was a First Order attack, they would need all hands on deck, and she at least had one viable hand to lend. 

Finn searched her face for a moment. “I don’t know.” He looked over at the Droid assisting her, “Can she come with me?”

If Droids could frown, this one would have. “She has a concussion, a shattered humerus, a broken wrist, and the entire left side of her body is covered in abrasions, some of which needed more than bacta. So no, I wouldn’t recommend it.” 

Jess huffed, pulling on Finn to help her sit up more efficiently. “As far as I’m concerned, I have two working legs and a mostly operational left arm. I can hold a blaster, I’m going.” 

Finn helped her stand, letting her lean into him to catch her balance. 

“You’re sure about this?” Finns voice was cautious, assessing her ability to stand on her own. 

“Are you doubting me?” Jess smirked up at him, her tone more confident than she really felt.

He smiled back at her, keeping a hand on he small of her back, just in case, “I know better than that. Just checking.” 

The walk up to the control room took time, between Jess’s slow movements and Finn checking each extended hallways for stormtroopers before they made their way through. Finn assured her that most of them were still around the outer walls, the security doors still secured, buying the Resistance time. 

Finn knocked on the steel door of the control room, alerting those inside of their presence. They were granted access, a control worker Jess didn’t recognize rushing them into the room. 

Jess scanned the scene around her, the energy in the air feeling particularly intense as Resistance workers scrambled to make sense of their situation. Poe was in the center of the room with the General, the two of them bent over something Jess couldn’t see. Their faces were both grim, intently focused on the topic at hand. Jess noted how exhausted Poe looked, the stubble on his chin more than just it’s typical shadow, his shoulders slumped. He looked over at Finn and Jess suddenly, breaking his own concentration. 

Jess almost winced at his eye contact, unsure of where their friendship stood, since their last conversation hadn’t exactly ended in a good spot. She nodded at him and Leia, the latter waved her over to join them. 

“Jess, I’m surprised to see you. You feel up to this?” The woman’s face was concerned but there was a level of admiration underneath, proud to see Jess’s commitment to their cause. 

“Ready and reporting, ma’am.” Jess standing to her full height, ignoring the strain on her body. 

The General nodded, launching into a debrief on the situation. The Resistance’s only option, ironically enough, was resistance. With all of their starships grounded, they could only attack using blasters and man power. The biggest threat now was if, or better yet when, Kylo Ren would show up. As Leia talked about tactics, Jess realized that two very important people were missing from the room. 

“Where are Luke and Rey?” Jess blurted, eyes scanning the people around her. 

The General paused, cautiously analyzing Jess before she answered. “We don’t know.”

“Excuse me?” Jess felt the wind knock out of her, rage and fear dancing together in her mind. “You don’t know? How can you not know where our two most essential personnel are, directly   
following an attack?” 

Poe jumped in. “I’d step down, Pava. This isn’t your place.”

Leia held up a hand, ensuring him that a reprimand was not necessary. “While your commander is right, Jess, I understand your concern. That’s my brother out there. We’re doing our best to locate them, but they’re alive.”

“How do you know?” Jess knew far better than to test her superior’s patience, but the idea of losing Rey was making her risk defiance. 

“I just…know.” The General closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. “You need to trust me, all of you.” 

At that moment, Oddy, the youngest member of Blue squadron had run into the room, panting. “Ma’am.” He ran over to the cluster of Resistance members. “Kylo Ren is on base. He’s been sighted in the north wing.”

Leia was quiet for a moment, but nodded. “Okay. Give me your blaster, Oddy.” 

The young Abednedo looked confused, but did as instructed. “Ma’am?”

“If Ben is here, he’s not looking for you guys. Or for destruction.” She checked the weapon, clicking the safety off and on. “He’s here for me.” 

Everyone in the room flinched slightly at the use of Kylo Ren’s real name, the humanity of it uncomfortable. After all of the wicked Kylo Ren had proven himself capable of, the use of his birth name seemed almost comical. 

Leia made a move towards the door out of the control room. Poe was the first to step into her path. “Ma’am, with all do respect, we can’t let you go out there without backup.” 

She snorted incredulously, moving around him. “Well then by all means come with me. Someone get Pava a weapon.” 

Before she could fully process the situation, Jess had a blaster in her hand and was being shuttled out into the hallway along with Poe, Finn, and Leia. She tested the weight of it in her left hand. The use of her nondominant side felt strange, but it was the best she could do given the circumstances. 

“What is our plan, exactly?” Poe questioned as they rushed down the halls. It was eerily quite for now, but they all knew what was waiting for them closer to the outside. 

“I don’t have one,” Leia admitted, shooting him a glance. “But I’ve always been quick on my feet.” 

They rounded the corner, heading in the direction of the north wing, only to see someone up ahead. They were tall, their chrome trooper suit standing out against the matte grey of their   
surroundings. 

“I’m assuming that’s Phasma?” Leia directed her question at Finn. 

“That’s Phasma,” He confirmed, tight lipped. 

The looming figure turned at her name, aiming her blaster right at them. “I’d suggest none of you move a muscle. I’ve got someone that’s been looking for you all day.” 

“Kriff,” Jess heard Poe swear form behind her. “No offense, but great plan, ma’am.” 

"This isn't exactly the moment to get fresh, Dameron. Just shut your mouths and trust me."

It was in that moment Jess knew, that they were royally screwed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shit. Goes. Down. I have written SO MUCH for this story. I currently have half of the last chapter and the epilogue completely written, but absolutely none of the next chapter (because, of course). Bare with me, because action scenes are not my strong suit and I'm not really sure how I'm going to go about this. Until next time!


	14. Make Things Right

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I posed a new chapter literally yesterday but I got an idea and just couldn't stop typing. I hope you enjoy the way this is wrapping up!! Next chapter is the last one.

There would be no way out of this. At least not one that Jess could see, considering they were currently standing in a pitch black storage room, the musty smell of cleaning fluids ever present. Poe was with her, however that seemed to feel more like a punishment than anything else. The icy silence was somehow even worse than being trapped in the tiny closet. 

If there was any solace, it was in the knowledge that Leia and Finn had gotten past Phasma. Poe and Jess had acted as distraction, and while it had worked in letting the other two advance to where they were actually needed, it got Poe and Jess into a less than ideal situation. Neither of them were even particularly sure that Phasma was standing guard at the door, but there was no way to check, and no way to escape the room from the inside. 

“You know, I feel like the lack of an exit to this room was a real design flaw, no?” Jess murmured in attempt to break the silence. 

Poe did not answer from his seat on the opposing wall. The occasional flash on his comlink was their only source of light, and it allowed Jess to get a glimpse of him every couple seconds. 

His expression was hard to read, but it was certainly less than friendly. Jess knew she couldn’t have exactly looked her best in the present moment either. 

“Okay.” Jess whispered to herself after his lack of response. “I’ll stop trying.” She looked down at the floor between her feet, resigned. 

“I don’t think this is hardly the time for you to mope.” Poe spoke up finally. 

Jess looked up at him, shaking her head. “Well we seem to be pretty stuck here, I’m not sure what you’d rather have me do right now.” 

Poe was silent again after a deep sigh, causing Jess to roll her eyes. 

The longer Jess sat and stewed in her annoyance, the more she struggled to keep quiet. “Can we talk about this? Seriously?”

“You seem to be very persistent about it, so by all means, talk.” Poe was looking at her, his face unreadable.

Jess realized she was at a loss for words, unsure where to start. “Okay. What do you want me to say, Poe? Sorry?” 

He snorted, humorlessly. “That would be a start.”

“I was honest with you, I don’t have anything to be sorry for.” 

“Jess, c’mon.” He leaned forward, crossing his legs beneath him. “You came into my office telling me you’re thinking of leaving the Resistance and then pretty promptly told me to fuck off. I think we can start there.” 

“You didn’t let me explain, Poe. I -” 

He cut her off, “I understood everything you were saying, Jess! I understood perfectly, because I feel the same way!” 

Jess was silent, dumbfounded. 

“You don’t think I’m scared? You don’t think I wake up everyday understanding that the weight of my squadron’s lives are on my shoulders? This position is everything I’ve ever wanted, but I don’t think anyone is ever prepared for the responsibility. Some days I wish I could run away from it all too, bring you and Finn and be safe, leave it all. But Jess, I’m responsible for lives. For living breathing members of the Resistance, and now Snap is dead and I-” He stopped, choking on his words. “And now I’ve failed. And you want to leave me, leave this place behind. I can’t blame you, Jess, but I’m so terrified of what life would look like without you.” 

He was crying, silently, in a way that broke Jess’s heart. She felt stupid, suddenly, his words making sense. Their age difference made itself known for the first time in a while, her 23 to his 25. It had never seemed to matter; Poe treated her as equal, expected her to act as such. It was only now apparent to her that she had not been meeting his expectation. 

“I’ve been stupid,” She whispered, eyes closed. “I’m a child.”

“You’ve been scared. You’re a human.”

Jess looked up at her friend, eyes swimming with tears. Her words failed her as he crawled across the space between them, leaning her into him gingerly. 

“I love you so much. Do you know that?” Poe paused, pushing her hair out of her face. Here is nothing wrong with being afraid of war, of death. But Jess that’s what we signed up for. We’re here to support the Resistance, to fight for, and often times with, our lives. You can be afraid, but you can’t let it prevent you from fulfilling your responsibilities.” 

Jess nodded, silently leaning into him. 

“That’s why I was angry with you. I can’ t let you walk away. I know your strength and perseverance, I know your loyalty to the Resistance. If you quit, you’d spend the rest of your life wishing you had stayed. This is you, this is what you know. The impulse of fear is only human, but if you let that impulse win, you’ll regret it. I can’t force you to stay here, but I can ask you to. I’ll beg you to.” 

He paused, his expression intense. Jess could feel the desperation within him; his need for his best friend just as strong as her own. It had always been Jess and Poe. A separation of the two simply went against nature. 

“You need me, just like I need you.” Jess placed a hand on his cheek, suddenly understanding. 

“I thought you understood that.”

The pain in his voice was child like. The crack in his boisterous exterior is what struck Jess the hardest. 

“I do know. I understand.”

To imagine Poe relying on her as she relied on him used to seem impossible. Jess had sought Poe’s admiration for years, each decision in life built on whether or not it would make him  
proud. She realized now, that she had held it all along. For as long as they lived, Poe and Jess, he would love her as she loved him. It was not romance, not what she had with Rey. This was something unconditional, living and breathing for each other. It gave her a reason, now, to keep going. 

There was a noise on the other side of the door, something that sounded like metal clanging together, and then the door to their makeshift prison swung open. A tall, severe looking man with shocking red hair stepped in. Jessika thought he looked like he’d just gotten a whiff of bantha shit. Poe helped her stand up straight, in case this new comer tried anything. 

“Oh, kriff. These two?” The pause the man took gave Jess and Poe the opportunity to share a look before Poe swung out, knocking the man square in the jaw. 

As he crumpled, Jess grabbed his blaster with her free hand and sent a well aimed shot in Phasma’s direction. It glanced her, doing no permanent damage, but she did jump forward to enter the room just as Jess and Poe escaped it. The First Order captain only realized her mistake after it was too late, the door slamming closed. She and her comrade effectively locked inside. 

“Nice work,” Poe complimented as he and Jess made off down the hall way in the direction they had last seen Finn and Leia. 

“Nice punch,” Jess acknowledged his quick thinking. “What’s our plan?”

“We find the General and go from there.”

“Got it. Any idea which way…?” Jess trailed off as Poe started to run, but understood why as the sounds of blasters echoed towards them. She sighed, doing her best to sprint after him. 

They heard quick footsteps coming behind them, both turning to see who was not only catching up to them, but surpassing them. It was Finn, his long legs carrying him at an alarmingly quick rate, a determined look on his face. 

“If you guys intend to save your skins, I suggest you run faster than that.” He called as he passed them. “Follow me.” 

Finn led them down another hallway, the trail of stormtroopers dying off as they were shot in turn. Jess recognized where they were headed after yet another right hand turn, trying to piece together where Finn was leading them. 

“Finn,” She huffed, aiming another shot behind her. “Are you taking us to the training room?”

He slowed as they arrived at their destination, Poe aiming and taking out the last of their attackers. Finn reached out, placing his hand on Jess’s arm. She held back a wince, but she’d by lying if she denied the aching in approximately 100 percent of her body. 

Finn looked back and forth between the two of them, preparing some kind of a speech. “What you guys see in here… I’m gonna need you to be cool with this, okay? Don’t freak out.”  
Jess and Poe shared a glance, looking back at their friend. 

“Buddy I don’t think that makes either of us feel better about this.” 

“Just… Be cool.” Finn turned and opened the door, rushing them into the room before closing it behind them. 

It took a moment for Jess’s eyes to adjust to the light in the room. She noticed both Luke and Leia on one side of the room, whispering together, but the real threat was happening in the center. Flashing lights, blue and red, were smattering together. A lightsaber duel. Jess had seen them before in holovids but never in person, and even know she wished it was something she wasn’t experiencing. 

Rey, her Rey, was head to head with who Jess recognized as Kylo Ren. His looming figure nearly doubled Rey’s, but what the young woman lacked in size, she clearly made up for in strength.  
They were a fair match, throwing each other off balance but recovering easily. If Jess hadn’t known better, she could say they were choreographed. Jess hearted skipped beats every time Ren’s blade slipped too close to Rey’s flesh, and each time it happened her temper flared. 

“What are they doing?” Jess whispered to Finn, but instead of waiting for an answer she ran to Luke, across the room. 

“How dare you let her do this! Are you two insane?” Jess began an argument, but was shut down quickly by Luke’s firm hand. 

“Look at Rey. What do you see?”

Jess observed the young Jedi, not just her movements, but her facial expressions. The anger there was more than apparent. It seemed to have taken over all of the good in Rey, for even the kindness in her eyes had vanished into something darker. Something that very much frightened Jess to look at. 

“She’s slipping from us.” Luke was solemn, almost resigned. “Whatever Ben is saying to her, it’s pushing her to the other side. It’s only a matter of time now unless someone steps in.”

Finn and Poe joined their conversation, energy radiating off of Finn. Jess could tell that he wanted to jump into that fight himself, if only to defend his best friend. 

“Well then we step in,” Jess reasoned, exasperated. 

There was a yell from the two fighters, earning everyone’s attention. Kylo Ren was on his back, a man lying in his potential defeat. 

“Go ahead and kill me, Rey.” His voice was deep, venomous. “End it now and you can take my place next to Snoke, where you belong.” 

Rey pushed the blade of her saber closer to his throat, her eyes ablaze. 

“I know you feel Snoke’s call. You feel the pull of the dark side. You were made for it Rey, bred within it. Anakin Skywalker’s blood runs through you, just as it runs through me.” 

Rey snarled at the mention of her grandfather’s name swinging her lightsaber back. She brought it down to her left, slicing it cleanly through Kylo’s right arm, severing the hand completely. 

“You want to do him proud, do you?” Rey’s voice was serpent like, her usual lilt a low and dangerous husk. The sound of Kylo Ren’s screams did nothing to deter her. “Want to do your grand daddy proud?” 

She leaned forward, saber back at her opponents throat as he remained on the ground. “I wouldn’t answer to Anakin Skywalker. I’d answer to Snoke.” 

“Luke.” Leia spoke up, as they all witnessed the scene unravel in front of them. “If she kills Ben… I don’t think she’s coming back to us.” 

Luke nodded, reaching for his own saber by his side. “I have to take care of this myself. This has been my mess ever since we lost Ben.” 

Before anyone could so much as move, Finn had stepped forward, slipping Luke’s saber from his grasp. “Allow me to do the honors.” 

Finn ran forward before Luke could object, directly in Rey’s direction. With her back to him and her attention on the man at her feet, Finn easily overpowered her, pushing her over onto her side. Her lightsaber slid away, out of reach. Finn, taking no time to delay, swung forward with all his might, stabbing the blade of Luke’s lightsaber directly through Kylo Ren’s chest. They all looked on as the life drained from his eyes, the power of the dark side leeching away from him. Kylo Ren was human again, if only in death. 

There was a stunned silence across the room for a moment, before someone screamed. 

“No!” It was Rey, slithering up from her place on the ground. She held her right hand out, the force guiding her dropped saber back to her. “He was mine to kill!” The saber powered back up. “You took that away from me.” 

Rey lunged forward at Finn, but he was ready, meeting her blade with his own. Sparks flew as they battled, Finn swinging desperately to meet Rey’s quick advances. 

“Rey, stop this.” He spun, catching her off guard. “This isn’t you.” 

She growled at him, aiming for his ribs, but he blocked it, staggering backwards. 

“Come back to us, Rey.” Finn pleaded, all of his shots defensive. He couldn’t risk an offensive shot, as the idea of hurting Rey, even for his own protection, was not a weight he could bare. “Please.” 

Gradually, Rey began to slow, her eyes becoming hazy and her attacks less rigid. At last, she stumbled forward, and Finn caught her, their weapons clattering to the ground. 

“Finn?” Rey seemed to be looking through him, but signs of the old Rey were there again. The fire in her eyes had gone. 

“I’m here.” Finn whispered, and he hugged her like she may disappear.

The room was silent again as everyone processed what was going on. It was only once Poe had grabbed her hand that Jess realized she was shaking. She looked up at him as he mouthed “one… two… three…”, raising a finger each time. 

Right. Three observations. 

One; Rey was okay. She looked sweaty and worn, but the way she was looking at Finn was an expression anyone on the dark side must be incapable of. Love.

Two; Leia was crying, silently. Jess knew better than to think she was mourning Kylo Ren. Leia was mourning the loss of a son that no longer existed, so close in time to losing her husband  
as well. 

Three; Kylo Ren was very dead. His lifeless body was in the center of the room, sad and human. This fight was very much over. 

Poe walked Jess over to Rey as Luke held his sister, allowing her to be comforted by the only family she had left. Rey had collapsed into Finn, sobbing into his shoulder as her brushed a hand over her back. She looked much smaller this way, broken into a child like version of herself. Rey looked up as they walked over, shame across all of her features. 

“Jess,” she whispered, eyes traveling up and down her girlfriend’s body. At first Jess was flattered, but then she remembered what she looked like. The left side of her body was bloodied and bruised, the right arm swollen in it’s sling. Her hair was sweaty and matted and she could only imagine the bruises on her face. 

Rey stood up, pulling Finn with her. She gingerly wrapped her arms around Jess’s body, hot tears still falling from her eyes. For a moment, Jess was frightened of Rey being so close to her, but instantly regretted it. Rey had surpassed the dark side in the most profound way. She refused to do their bidding, and Jess was safe with her. 

“You’re okay.” Jess whispered, pulling Rey into her. “We’ll all be okay.” 

“Do you mean it?” Rey whimpered into her neck, sniffling. 

Jess looked over Rey’s shoulder at Finn and Poe, their faces full of concern and exhaustion. “Maybe not now,” she answered honestly, “but in time.” 

Now, with the threat of the First Order gone, they had all the time in the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These sweet space babies. Leave me a comment and let me know how you liked this!! See you soon for our final chapter :)


	15. Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our final chapter. Enjoy!

Jess was not okay. Not as she wandered around base, broken arm and bruised body. Leia and Luke had pulled Rey away to make sure she was safe, leaving Jess to wander the halls. Luckily, the extensive damage had only been done to the outside of the buildings, leaving the insides mostly intact, aside from the dust, debris, and bodies. Men and women roamed around, helping where they could, but an eerie silence had fallen over their surroundings, as if a single noise would set off another battle. 

Jess was not okay as she wandered, trying to make sense of her day. She was injured, Rey was shaken, and Snap was dead. 

It had been hours since the explosion, since she’d said her last words to him. Jess could cry, could mourn, but something told her that she would never completely be over the loss of her copilot and dear friend. 

After making a few rounds down hallways she didn’t recognize, Jess found herself in the common room. Kare was sitting on the couch, Finn and Poe across from her. No one was speaking, the only sound was the occasional sniffle from Kare. Jess sat down next to her, pulling her friend into her chest as best as she could. 

No one said a word as Jess and Kare cried. There was nothing to say to someone that’s just lost a loved one, and this loss belonged to everyone. It wasn’t long before Jess’s eyelids felt heavy and she drifted off to sleep, Kare draped across her. Finn and Poe left the room quietly, knowing that every single one of them deserved a good night’s sleep. 

An immeasurable amount of time later, Jess awoke with a start, the hand on her shoulder startling her from her dreams. Rey was kneeling next to her, pushing hair back out of her girlfriend’s face. 

“It’s okay, don’t move too quickly.” Rey whispered, motioning to the sleeping girl on Jess’s lap. 

Jess sighed, resting her face into Rey’s open palm. “This doesn’t look too good, does it?” Her and Kare’s bodies were entwined, limbs entangled. 

Rey simply shook her head and smiled, running her hand through Jess’s hair. “You both lost someone very important to you today. I’d say you get a free pass.” She looked down at her feet, sighing, “After what you saw today, I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to… move on from me.” 

Jess’s heart broke for the 100th time that day, the look on Rey’s face simply devastating. “Rey. It’s going to take a lot more than that to scare me away, my sweet girl.” 

“I didn’t want any of this.” Rey squeezed her eyes shut, hot tears dancing down her cheeks. “I didn’t want to be a Jedi, or for Kylo Ren to come after me, to hurt you…” Her shoulders shook as  
she cried, leaning into Jess’s shoulder. 

“Ow.” Jess whispered as Rey’s weight pressed against her broken arm, causing the other girl to jump back. 

“I’m sorry! Kriff, I’m sorry. I can’t even be near you without hurting you.” Rey wiped the tears from her face as she stood, fleeing from the room before Jess could object.

Kare stirred in that moment, waking up from her own slumber. Jess began to sit up, trying to go after Rey without shoving her friend from her lap. 

“Kare, are you okay to stay here? I have to go, I need to.. take care of something.” 

The other girl nodded, laying on the opposite side of the couch as Jessika. “I’m gonna go back to sleep,” she mumbled, closing her eyes. 

Jess kissed her on top of the head before running from the room, hoping Rey hadn’t gone too far. 

She found the young Jedi leaning against the durasteel wall, tears still falling. 

“Rey.” Jess’s voice was calm, but her heart was beating with concern. She slipped her left arm around Rey’s waist, hugging her from behind. 

“Stop coming after me,” The young Jedi tried to sound stern, but her voice cracked. 

“Why?”

“Because I’m dangerous, I’m not good for you, for anyone. Be with someone better, be with Kare.” Rey attempted to pull away, but Jess just pulled her in tighter. 

“I would rather die. I would literally rather die, Rey. Do you understand that?”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Rey turned around in their embrace, facing Jess. “I don’t want you to die for me. I don’t deserve to have people die for me.”

Jess kissed her then, tenderly. “You deserve this entire world. I wish you understood that.” 

Rey sniffled, hugging Jess. “Agree to disagree.”

Jess chuckled softly, shaking her head. “This is all over now. This war, this… way of life. We can move on, if you want to.”

Something about Jess’s words seemed to remind Rey of why she’d sought Jess out in the first place. “Leia wants to see you.” 

“Why?” Of all the things General Organa would need to do right now, Jess found it strange that she’d want to speak with her. 

“She didn’t say. Can I come with you?”

“Of course you can.” Jess extended her hand and Rey slipped into it, the two of them smiling slightly at each other. 

The General was sitting at her office like usual, but her typical posture of authority had disappeared. In it’s place was the presence of a tired woman, not defeated, but someone that needed a really good rest. 

“General,” Jess greeted as she and Rey entered the room. 

“Please, Jess. I really think you’ve earned the right to call me Leia.” The older woman poured a glass of dark liquid into a glass, sliding it across the desk to Jess. “Rey?” She gestured, while pouring her own. 

“No thank you.” Rey smiled, nodding in appreciation. 

Jess gratefully accepted the drink, letting it burn the back of her throat as she swallowed. Brandy.

She sighed, relaxing. “That’s really good stuff.”

Leia smiled, “I thought you might need it.” 

“How are you, ma’am?” Jess searched the woman’s face, wondering what kind of pain she must be feeling. 

“I should be asking you that question.”

Jess thought for a second before answering. “I’m managing.” She looked at Rey, “We all are.” 

Leia nodded, leaning back into her chair. “I spoke with Dameron, earlier.” 

“Oh?” 

“He told me you guys had a bit of a spat the other day.” 

Jess was caught off guard, but recovered. “He told you about that?”

“He did.”

“Not to be rude, but why would you bring me in here to discuss an argument I had with my best friend that we’ve completely cleared up already?” 

Leia chuckled, shaking her head. “I want to offer you a job, Pava.”

Jess raised her eyebrows, curiously. “I have a job.”

“Yes, well. Another job.” 

“With the Resistance?”

“Pava if you don’t stop interrupting me, I’ll change my mind.” 

“Got it, ma’am.”

Rey chuckled next to Jess, reaching out to squeeze her hand. 

Leia laughed along with Rey for a moment, pouring more alcohol into her glass. “The Resistance needs an off planet scout. Someone to search Outer Rim planets for suspicious business,  
drug cartels, relatives of mine wearing masks…” 

Jess smirked at the joke, amazed that Leia could apply any humor to what had just happened. 

“The job would require a lot of traveling. Obviously you would report back to us as frequently as possible, and we’d need to get you some false identification for your safety. Is that something  
you’d be interested in?” 

Jess didn’t realize she was smiling until she went speak. “You’d really trust me with that?” 

“You’re pretty essential personnel to the Resistance, Jess. Of course we’d trust you with the job.”

Rey squeezed Jess’s hand and they smiled at each other, silently agreeing that it was a good idea. 

“Actually, one thing, ma’am. Could I bring someone with me?”

“Rey may go with you, if she so desires.” Leia grinned at them, reading Jess’s mind. 

“I do,” Rey interjected, “I would very much like to go with her.” 

“Well then congratulations on the new position, Pava. We’ll talk more about the details later, go get some rest.” 

Jess was really going to have to thank Poe for this. 

...........................................................................................

 

“Am I pressing the right button?” Rey looked over her shoulder at Jess in the cockpit of their mission appointed starship. 

“Huh?” Jess leaned across Rey, trying to see what she was pointing at. “Yes, Rey, you know how to fly one of these.”

Rey closed the small distance between them with a kiss, locking their lips together. Jess broke the kiss with a smile, shaking her head. 

“You knew exactly which button you were pressing.” 

Rey laughed as Jess sat back down in her own chair. “You’ve been so neurotic all morning, I needed to calm you down.”

“I’m just nervous! I want to really nail this.” 

They were about to leave on their first mission, a brief trip to Belladoon to scout for an organized band of illegal spice traders. As excited as Jess was, she knew she need to do a really fantastic job to get the General to trust her with this. 

“You’ll be great, Jess.” Rey assured her, squeezing her girlfriend’s shoulder. “Do you want me to enter the coordinates for Belladoon?” 

“Actually,” Jess smirked, reaching forward to move a stray hair out of Rey’s face, “we’re taking a pit stop first.” 

“Where?” Rey smiled, loving that Jess was finally relaxing. 

“Want to go visit D’Qar one last time?” Jess was beaming, searching Rey’s face for approval. 

But oh, Rey would follow Jess to the ends of the galaxy, whether Jess liked it or not. 

.........................................................................................

“Promise me something?” 

“Mm. Anything.”

Jess and Rey were seated on their favorite hill, overlooking the base on D’Qar. Rey’s head was in Jess’s lap, the both of them resting against the grass. 

“Someday, when we’re old and I can’t remember my name, you’ll still hold my hand and we’ll sit on the grass. You’ll kiss me, even when I don’t have teeth.” 

Jess belly laughed, tossing her head back. “That’s quite the mental image. What made you think of that?”

Rey giggled, lacing their fingers together. “I’m serious! Just thinking about us is all.” 

“I’ll kiss you toothless, promise.” Jess kissed her hand, smiling warmly. 

A peaceful silence fell upon them again, D’Qar’s sun warming their skin. Jess had been thinking about them quite a bit too, about where all of their lives have come to in just the last few months. It had been under a year since Rey had come into her life, all smiles and charming positivity. Finn had come first, his strength, his desire to change his own life, to do good. With him, came the story of a girl, one who was brave, talented, fearless. The story of a girl who, ultimately, was alone and needed a friend. Nothing could have prepared Jess for the moment she met Rey, when she became a tangible person, instead of a name whispered in hallways. Jess had flown dangerous missions, had rescued her best friend from death, had left her family for a different life in the unkown. None of it held a candle to the night she met Rey, because in that instant, choking on Correllian whiskey, Jess’s life would change for the better. Jess had never been happier. 

“Are you asleep up there?”

Jess smiled down at her girlfriend, ghosting her fingers up and down Rey’s arm. She knew it tickled. “Not sleeping. Just thinking of you.”

Rey blushed, never getting accustomed to Jess’s affection for her. “I think about you too, you know.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah… I think about your smile. The way you care so much. How you look at me from across the room, when you don’t think I notice.” She grinned, reacting to a memory. “I remember the  
night we met. I had met hundreds of people that day, but you’re the only person who’s name I wanted to learn. You were the first one to talk to me like a person. Right over there,” she pointed to the base of the hill, where they had laid on the grass for the first time, “Remember?”

“Of course I remember,” Jess’s heart swelled at Rey’s words. “With all that whiskey, I’m surprised you remember.” 

“I could never forget someone like you.” Rey said softly, locking her eyes with Jess’s. 

They smiled at each other, Rey hummed as Jess ran fingers through her hair. 

“I wonder how it’s possible,” Jess thought aloud, “to care for a person this much.” 

“Well, we’re in love, aren’t we?” Rey phrased it like a question, but her tone voiced it like a statement, something that she found too obvious to require vocalization. 

Jess was silent for a moment, for her heart was pounding so loudly she feared she’d lost the ability to speak. They had not yet voiced “I love you”s but she knew it to be true. Had always known. 

She’d been quiet for a bit too long it seemed, as Rey sat up, facing her, “Aren’t we?”

“Of course we are. Of course.” Jess leaned forward, kissing Rey in a way that she hoped expressed just how much she truly did care for her. 

“I love you,” Rey whispered, when they’d parted. 

“And I love you,” Jess smiled, pressing their foreheads together. 

The sun began to set on D’Qar, the pinks, yellows, and golds reflecting the warmth the two women felt for each other. Jess leaned into Rey, relaxing. Her mind wandered to Poe, to Finn, and back to Rey, a happiness so giddy, it made her feel like flying. She let the feeling settle, let her heart fly from her chest, over the hills and valleys of the place she once lived; for her new home was sitting right beside her. With Rey, Jess would always be flying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you SO MUCH for reading this story, sticking around for periods of no updates, and for leaving lovely kudos and comments. I appreciated every single one! I'll be posting the epilogue to this tonight, seperately. I hope you love it. I've also started a new work, titled Racing By. If you're a big JessxRey fan, you'll want to read it! Thank you all so much again!


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